By Sabiu Abdullahi
Members of the Rivers State House of Assembly have rejected a N100,000 Christmas payment that was paid into their personal bank accounts on the directive of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, stating that the transfer did not follow due process and lacked legislative approval.
In a statement issued on Tuesday and signed by the Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Petitions and Complaints, Enemi George, the lawmakers described the funds as unauthorised and confirmed that the money had been returned.
The statement, titled “Return of Unsolicited and Unapproved N100,000 Transferred to the Personal Accounts of Honourable Members of the Rivers State House of Assembly by the Executive Governor of Rivers State,” explained that each member received a credit alert on December 30, 2025.
“Today, 30th December 2025, honourable members of the 10th Rivers State House of Assembly received bank credit alerts of the sum of N100,000 each. The said unsolicited and unapproved amount was transferred on the instructions of the governor,” the statement read.
The House insisted that public funds must pass through established legal and legislative procedures. George further accused the governor of repeatedly withdrawing money from the state’s consolidated revenue account without the consent of the Assembly since assuming office in 2023.
“We are aware of staff who connive with the governor to contravene the constitution and laws of Rivers State. Their actions are unlawful. We assure the good people of Rivers State that we will not relent in performing our constitutional duties,” he said.
The lawmakers noted that while civil servants in the state received similar Christmas bonuses, those payments followed standard approval processes, unlike the transfer made to members of the Assembly.
Plenary sittings of the House have been adjourned until January 26, 2026. Governor Fubara has yet to submit the 2026 appropriation bill or forward the names of commissioner-nominees to the Assembly.
Since returning from suspension, he has been operating with eight commissioners whose positions were not affected by the Supreme Court ruling that recognised Martin Amaewhule as Speaker.
In a related development, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, addressed residents of Khana in Khana Local Government Area on Tuesday, urging them to be cautious about future political choices. His comments were widely interpreted as a reference to the leadership dispute in Rivers State.
“As for the state, we will talk about that later. We will not make a mistake again,” Wike said.
“If you make another mistake, that means they will drive you out. Your ticket is not automatic. You have to earn it for you to present to your people.”
Wike also spoke on political alignment in the state and stressed his support for President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
“For us, there’s nothing like APC or PDP; what we have is Renewed Hope. We’re not voting based on party but on the fact that we belong to one political family. Just follow your leaders. Anywhere you see them going, that is where we are going,” he stated.
He attributed several projects in Rivers communities to President Tinubu’s intervention, mentioning road construction, the establishment of the Federal University of Environment, and the presidential pardon granted to the Ogoni Nine.
“During the turbulent period, Khana stood with us and now you have benefited—from good roads to the University of Environment among other benefits because of the love of Mr. President,” Wike said.
The National Vice Chairman of the All Progressives Congress for the South-South zone, Victor Giadom, declared Gokana Local Government Area a “no-go area” for Governor Fubara.“For him to win anything in Gokana, he must pass through Wike,” Giadom said.
A former senator for Rivers South-East, Magnus Abe, expressed similar views while pledging support for Wike and President Tinubu.
“Wike is a leader who unites, and that is why we are united. The Ogoni people are with you, and we will not go home empty-handed. Please tell Tinubu not to bother coming to Gokana to campaign. We are for him,” Abe said.