Rivers lawmakers under fire over N350million payouts during emergency rule

By Johnson Arua

Rivers State House of Assembly members have come under renewed scrutiny after allegations surfaced that they each received N350 million as constituency allowances during the six-month emergency administration of former Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd.).

The claim was made by Darlington Orji, political adviser to Governor Siminalayi Fubara, on Friday during an interview with ARISE News Television.

Orji dismissed recent assertions by the lawmakers that they acted patriotically by rejecting the N100,000 Christmas allowance paid to public servants in the state.

Describing the legislators’ actions as “self-serving and deceptive,” Orji questioned why the same lawmakers, who turned down the yuletide stipend, did not reject the far larger payments they allegedly received during the emergency rule.

“If they were truly patriotic, why didn’t they reject the N350 million each they collected from Admiral Ibas as constituency allowance?” Orji asked. “Why didn’t they return the luxury vehicles given to them?”

Orji further alleged that in addition to the hefty cash payments, each lawmaker was gifted a 2025 Range Rover SUV, a claim that has already stirred controversy amid the state’s tense political climate.

The allegations come as tensions between the House of Assembly and Governor Fubara continue to escalate, fueled by the political fallout from the previous emergency administration.

Political observers suggest that the revelations are likely to intensify public debate over the integrity of the state legislature and the motives behind its ongoing confrontations with the executive.

Orji’s comments appear aimed at highlighting perceived double standards among lawmakers, contrasting their rejection of minor allowances with the alleged acceptance of far more substantial benefits in the past.

The issue underscores the lingering influence of the emergency rule on current state politics, raising questions about accountability, governance, and the transparency of legislative operations.

As the controversy unfolds, both the public and political analysts are watching closely, anticipating whether the House of Assembly will respond to the allegations or if the matter will escalate further in Rivers State’s already fraught political landscape.