The lingering rift between Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, and members of the state House of Assembly has taken another dimension.
In a statement issued by Enemi Alabo George, chairman of the House Committee on Information and Petitions, the lawmakers disclosed that they received credit alerts of N100,000 each, allegedly sent on the directive of Fubara.
The legislators, who are loyal to Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), described the funds as “unapproved and unsolicited”.
They said they had taken “immediate steps to formally return the said funds to the account of the Rivers State Government”.
“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,” the statement read.
“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 accounts of Rivers State without legislative approval despite repeated warnings from the House, judgement of the supreme court and in defiance of the Constitution and principles of separation of powers.
“Therefore, with the leave of Mr Speaker and the entire House, I seize 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 conducts.”
The cold war between Governor Fubara and the lawmakers has persisted since the lifting of the emergency rule on September 18.
In recent weeks, the legislators have repeatedly accused the governor of engaging in unapproved spending.