The Rivers State House of Assembly has rejected the N100,000 Christmas bonus credited to the personal bank accounts of its members, allegedly approved by Governor Siminalayi Fubara, describing the payment as unsolicited, unapproved, and unconstitutional.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the lawmakers insisted that all public expenditure must follow due process, including prior legislative approval, warning that any deviation amounts to a breach of the Constitution and the principles of separation of powers.
The rejection comes amid widespread celebration among Rivers State civil servants, who received a N100,000 Christmas bonus across board, a policy Governor Fubara has maintained for the past two years.
However, the Assembly drew a clear distinction between executive-approved welfare payments to civil servants and direct transfers to lawmakers without legislative consent.
Lawmakers Move to Return Funds
The statement, signed by the Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Petitions and Complaints, Enemi George, confirmed that members of the 10th Rivers State House of Assembly immediately took steps to return the funds upon discovering the credit alerts.
The statement, titled “Return of Unsolicited and Unapproved One Hundred Thousand Naira (N100,000) Transferred to the Personal Accounts of Honourable Members of the Rivers State House of Assembly by the Executive Governor of Rivers State, His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara”, was obtained by Naija247news on Tuesday.
“Today, the 30th day of December 2025, honourable members of the 10th Rivers State House of Assembly received bank credit alerts of the sum of one hundred thousand naira (N100,000) each,” the statement read.
“The said unsolicited and unapproved amount was transferred on the instructions of the Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, to the personal accounts of members.”
George said the lawmakers acted swiftly to reverse the transactions.
“Upon discovery of these unsolicited and unapproved transfers, honourable members of the House took immediate steps to formally return the said funds to the account of the Rivers State Government,” he added.
Assembly Accuses Governor of Repeated Constitutional Breaches
The House went further to accuse Governor Fubara of consistently drawing funds from the state’s Consolidated Revenue Account without legislative approval since assuming office in 2023.
According to the lawmakers, the alleged actions persist despite repeated warnings from the House, the judgment of the Supreme Court, and clear constitutional provisions governing public finance.
“The governor, since assumption of office in 2023, has consistently drawn from the Consolidated Revenue Account of Rivers State without legislative approval, in defiance of the Constitution and the principles of separation of powers,” George said.
The Assembly also alleged that some government staff were conniving with the executive to bypass constitutional safeguards, describing such conduct as unlawful.
“We have become aware of the unlawful conduct of staff of the Rivers State Government who connive with the governor and others to contravene the Constitution and the laws of Rivers State,” the statement warned.
Legislative-Executive Tensions Deepen
The development further highlights the deepening rift between the Rivers State executive and legislature, which has been marked by institutional clashes and unresolved governance issues.
The House has adjourned plenary sittings to January 26, 2026, while Governor Fubara is yet to:
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Present the 2026 Appropriation Bill to the Assembly
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Submit names of commissioner-nominees for screening and confirmation
Since his return from suspension following the lifting of the emergency rule imposed on the state, Fubara has continued to govern with eight commissioners, none of whom were affected by the Supreme Court judgment recognising Martin Amaewhule as the authentic Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
Despite the escalating tensions, the lawmakers reaffirmed their commitment to constitutional governance.
“We assure the good people of Rivers State that we will not relent in the performance of our constitutional duties,” the statement concluded.
Babatunde Akinsola ✔
Babatunde Akinsola is aNaija247news' Southwest editor. He's based in Lagos and writes on the Yoruba Nation political issues, news and investigative reports
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