Impeachment: Fubara Gave Each Rivers Assembly Member N350m

A Special Adviser to Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, Darlington Orji, has alleged that members of the Rivers State House of Assembly received N350 million each for constituency projects, despite claims by some lawmakers that certain payments made to them were not properly appropriated.

Orji made the allegation on Friday while speaking during a television interview, where he addressed questions surrounding the state’s budget process and the ongoing tension between the executive and the legislature.

He also referenced a N100,000 payment made to civil servants in December as an end-of-year appreciation, explaining that the same amount was extended to members of the House of Assembly. According to him, some lawmakers rejected the payment because it was not captured in the appropriation.

Orji questioned the basis of the rejection, arguing that the same lawmakers had previously accepted N350 million each for constituency projects without raising concerns about whether the funds were appropriated.

He said he would not make unfounded claims, stressing that his comments were based on facts known to him.

Orji explained that disagreements between the governor and lawmakers affected certain budget presentations, adding that several items usually make up the appropriation bill during budget preparation.

He noted that the governor had assured lawmakers that some issues would be addressed later, particularly by December, but maintained that the rejection of the N100,000 payment was inconsistent.

According to him, rejecting the smaller payment on appropriation grounds while accepting N350 million for constituency projects raised serious questions.

He challenged the lawmakers to explain the source of the N350 million each allegedly received and why it was not rejected if appropriation was truly their concern.

The allegation adds another layer to the escalating political crisis between Governor Fubara and the Rivers State House of Assembly, as impeachment proceedings and counter-claims continue to dominate political discourse in the state.