While many public officials accept gifts and cash incentives as part of Christmas and New Year celebrations, members of the Rivers State House of Assembly led by Martins Amaewhule, have returned a ₦100,000 cash gift sent to them by Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
As gathered, the lawmakers returned the funds shortly after it was credited to their personal accounts on the instructions of Fubara.
In a statement on Tuesday by the Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Petitions and Complaints, Alabo George, the lawmakers described the transfer as unsolicited and unapproved.
According to the statement, “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 His Excellency, Sir Siminalaye 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.”
Alabo stressed that the House, as an institution established by law and guided strictly by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, insists that all public expenditures must follow due process.
“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.
”the entire House, I cease 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.
“We assure the good people of Rivers State that we would not relent as we perform our constitutional duties.”-He said
