Why we rejected Fubara’s N100,000 Christmas bonus – Rivers lawmakers

By Ayorinde Oluokun/Abuja

Members of Rivers State House of Assembly have explained why they rejected the sum of N100,000 credited to their bank accounts of by the Governor Siminalayi Fubara led state government as a Christmas bonus.

In a statement on Tuesday, the lawmakers accused the Fubara administration of violating follow due process and failure to obtain legislative approval for the disbursement of the funds.

The lawmakers also said they did not ask Fubara for the funds in their 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’,

The statement was signed by the Chairman of Rivers House of Assembly Committee on Information, Petitions and Complaints, Enemi George.

The statement indicated that the lawmakers have taken steps to return the N100,000 to the Rivers State Government’s coffers.

The lawmakers said Fubara had since assuming office in 2023, continue to draw funds the state’s Consolidated Revenue Account without approval of the National Assembly.

They said this was despite repeated warnings from the House, the judgment of the Supreme Court and in defiance of the Constitution and the principles of separation of powers.

The statement partly read, “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 said unsolicited and unapproved amount was transferred on the instructions of the Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, GSSRS, to the personal accounts of members.

“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.

“As an institution established by law and guided strictly by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Rivers State House of Assembly maintains that all public expenditures must follow due process, including legislative approval.

“The governor, since assumption of office in 2023, has consistently drawn from the Consolidated Revenue Account of Rivers State without legislative approval, despite repeated warnings from the House, the judgment of the Supreme Court, and in defiance of the Constitution and the principles of separation of powers.

“Therefore, with the leave of Mr Speaker and the entire House, I use this medium to once again draw the attention of all staff of the Rivers State Government who connive with the governor and others to contravene the Constitution and laws of Rivers State to the fact that we have become aware of their unlawful conduct.

“We assure the good people of Rivers State that we will not relent in the performance of our constitutional duties.”