The Rivers House of Assembly has disclosed that Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s claim of being locked out of the parliament’s complex to present the 2025 Appropriation Bill was scripted to paint them in bad light.

Enemi George, the Rivers parliament’s spokesperson and chairman of the House Committee on Information, in a statement on Wednesday in Port Harcourt, said, “The governor and his team simply and deliberately acted Wednesday’s drama with a singular motive to tarnish the image of the assembly.

“The governor is simply playing to the gallery to whip up unnecessary sentiments. But it has backfired because the truth has come out.”

Mr George stated that the lawmakers, led by the speaker, Martin Amaewhule, received a letter from Mr Fubara about his plan to present the budget to the parliament, but ultimately, he made a charade.

“The letter trending on social media was dated March 11. Does it mean that the governor purportedly sent a letter on Tuesday—God knows when—and immediately mobilised to the assembly quarters on Wednesday morning, claiming he came to present his budget?

“That alone vitiates the claimed purpose. It is procedurally trite that after writing to the assembly, the governor ought to wait for the letter to be acknowledged by the lawmakers, who will then invite him to appear before them and make his presentation. Governor Fubara ought to know this if he is sincere,” the Rivers lawmaker said.

Mr George accused Mr Fubara’s government of assaulting officials sent to his office.

“The governor rebuffed our pleas. We sent employees of the assembly to deliver these resolutions to him, but as usual, they turned them down at the gate and even brutalised them. We resorted to engaging the services of a courier company,” said Mr George.