The Rivers State House of Assembly has rejected and returned N100,000 sent to each lawmaker as a Yuletide largesse from the government account on the directive of Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

In a statement signed by the Chairman, House Committee on Information, Petition and Complaints, Enemi Alabo George, the House said that the money was transferred to the personal bank accounts of the lawmakers by the governor yesterday.

The statement reads: “The said unsolicited and unapproved amount was transferred on the instruction of the governor to the personal accounts of members.”

George said following the discovery of “these unsolicited and unapproved transfers” the lawmakers took immediate steps to formerly return the money to the account of the Rivers State Government.

He said: “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 approvals.

“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, judgment of the Supreme Court and in defiance of the Constitution and principles of separation of power.”

George said the House was aware of the alleged connivance of some government officials with the governor to contravene the constitution and laws of the state. (The Nation, but headline rejigged)