‘They Want Rivers Treasury Opened For Them’, IYC President Tackles State Assembly Members

The President of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, Alaye Tari Theophilus, has alleged that the ongoing crisis between the Rivers State House of Assembly and Governor Siminalayi Fubara was rooted in the lawmakers’ demands for access to the state treasury.

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Speaking on Arise News Channel’s breakfast show, ‘The Morning Show’ on Friday, Theophilus said members of the State Assembly were unhappy with the governor’s refusal to grant them what he described as “unrestricted access” to state funds.

According to him, several peace efforts initiated by the IYC and other stakeholders have failed because the lawmakers insisted that Governor Fubara was unwilling to allow them benefit financially from the state’s resources.

“The central issue in the Rivers crisis is the governor’s refusal to open the treasury to Assembly members,” Theophilus said. “They have rejected all peace initiatives, claiming the governor is too stingy and does not want them to benefit.”

He explained that the IYC had engaged elders and stakeholders from the respective lawmakers’ constituencies in an attempt to mediate, but the talks yielded no results.

Theophilus further accused some legislators of operating under a long-standing political culture in which lawmakers function as contractors or businessmen, seeking allocations from state funds outside officially approved constituency projects.

“There is a pattern in Nigerian democracy where legislators approach governors for access to state funds so they can live flamboyant lifestyles,” he said.

He contrasted this with what he described as Governor Fubara’s prudence and commitment to good governance, noting that the governor has maintained that public funds must be used strictly for the benefit of Rivers people.

“Governor Fubara has made it clear that the state treasury is meant for infrastructural development, human capital development, and good governance—not for personal enrichment,” Theophilus stated.

He concluded that the refusal to divert public funds was the core reason behind the Assembly’s alleged efforts to frustrate the governor.