Fubara:He Paid ₦100,000 Each to Assembly Members This Xmas; They Asked Who Approved the Funds —Worlu

Fresh controversy has emerged in Rivers State’s festering political crisis following claims that funds were paid into the personal accounts of members of the State House of Assembly without clear legislative approval, raising new questions about due process and executive accountability.

Speaking on Sunrise Daily on Channels Television on Tuesday, January 14, 2026, the Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Gift Worlu, revealed that ₦100,000 was paid into the accounts of Rivers State lawmakers, a move he said had prompted serious concerns within the Assembly over its legality and source.

According to Worlu, the lawmakers themselves queried the payment, asking who appropriated the funds and under what authority the money was released. 

He stressed that Rivers State funds cannot be disbursed at the discretion of the executive without legislative backing, noting that any such payment must be clearly captured in an approved budget.

“The Assembly members asked a simple question: who appropriated the money?” Worlu said, explaining that the issue goes beyond the amount involved and touches on constitutional procedure and transparency in governance.

He warned that unsolicited payments to legislators could expose them to legal risks, especially if anti-corruption agencies later demand explanations for funds received without appropriation. 

In his view, this concern partly explains the lawmakers’ insistence on accountability amid the ongoing impeachment threats against the governor.

Worlu argued that the role of the State House of Assembly is to check executive excesses, not to rubber-stamp actions that fall outside the law. 

He maintained that the current standoff should not be reduced to sentiment or political loyalty, but assessed strictly on constitutional grounds.