Former government forced commissioners, advisors, and others upon successor
Rep spokesman: “Federal lawmakers protest, ask Tinubu to intervene, why N’Assembly can’t act yet.”
The previous governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, sent Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara the list of commissioners, special advisers, and other important aides along with their ministries.
Fubara had no say in the appointments as his predecessor was the only one in charge of their selection and appointment, according to a close adviser to the governor who made this information entirely public.
According to the source, Wike, who appointed Fubara as the governor’s replacement, forced the resignations of a few commissioners, confirming that they were not the governor’s pick.
Indeed, the commissioners’ resignations have demonstrated that the governor did not nominate them, the source said. They were not his choices at all. With instructions on which ministries and positions to hold, the former governor gave the governor the list of commissioners and advisers. The governor even received security agents and was given precise instructions about where to station them.
Can the governor appoint commissioners, advisers, and other officials and have them quit in this manner? That isn’t achievable. Remember that our tenure has only lasted for roughly seven months. Governor-appointed commissioners are unwilling to resign.
In response to the FCT minister’s assertion that the governor and every other elected person in Rivers State did not purchase nomination papers out of their own pockets, the source stated, “Yes, the former governor was accurate in stating that he purchased the forms for everyone. But with what money, pray? You are aware of the cost of nomination and expression of interest forms for the People’s Democratic Party, as well as the remuneration of a governor.
“Leave those who wish to leave, and the governor will gather his team members—not moles sent to spy on the administration.”
Additional commissioners step down
Three more commissioners entered the fray on Friday, intensifying the Rivers State Executive Council’s resignation frenzy.
These are the commissioners for the environment, Austen Ben-Chioma, and transportation, Dr. Jacobson Nbina, Dr. Gift Worlu, and Dr.
One of our correspondents mentioned that they resigned from their positions in separate letters that were sent to the governor via the Secretary to the State Government.
Under Wike, Nbina and Austen-Ben Chioma were also commissioners.
The number of commissioners who have resigned their appointments thus far has increased to nine.
Nbina answered, “Yes, I resigned yesterday (Thursday),” when he called to confirm his resignation on Friday.
He said, “The reason is personal to me and my family commitments,” when asked why he had done what he had done. The governor is not a problem for me. It’s highly intimate.
It hasn’t been confirmed, but there were rumors that what they were doing was setting the stage for them to formally defect to the APC.
Previously, Fubara’s cabinet members Prof. Chinedu Mmom (Education), Mrs. Inime Aguma (Social Welfare and Rehabilitation), Prof. Isaac Kamalu (Finance), Prof. Zacchaeus Adangor, SAN (Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice), Dr. Des George-Kelly (Works), Emeka Woke (Special Duties), and Mrs. Inime Aguma had resigned.
Before being reappointed by Fubara, commissioners Mmom, Adangor, Aguma, George-Kelly, Nbina, and Kamalu were all part of Wike’s most recent government.
For his part, Wike’s chief of staff for eight years was Emeka Woke, who also left Fubara’s cabinet to serve as commissioner of special tasks.
The official debut of the new APC in the state is set for this weekend, according to Chief Tony Okocha, the APC’s Caretaker Committee Chairman in Rivers State. He told our correspondent on Wednesday, “You will see the tsunami that will happen that day.”
Demolition of the assembly continues.
The sacred chambers of the state House of Assembly building were entirely demolished on Friday as part of the ongoing demolition of the structure.
When our correspondent went to the complex at around ten in the morning, he heard that four bulldozers were working inside, demolishing other buildings that were next to it.
After the governor visited to assess the damage caused by the October 29, 2023 explosion, he contacted a firm that reported that the building had integrity issues and was unfit for legislative business. This was the reason given to journalists by Commissioner for Information and Communications Joe Johnson for the state government’s decision to demolish the complex built during the administration of Dr. Peter Odili.
The complex will therefore be rebuilt by the government. However, Johnson had said, “Until the building is finished, the state has provided a place for the lawmakers to sit.”
Although people and vehicle limitations have been loosened, security blockades were in place at both ends of Moscow Road leading into the complex. A patrol van manned by police officers was positioned at the Assembly entrance.
“Why is NASS unable to step in?”
The Rivers State House of Assembly is currently in disarray due to the conflict between Fubara and Wike, and the House of Representatives has provided explanations for why it will not assume its duties.
The former governor and Fubara, who is the political offspring of the minister of the Federal Capital Territory, have actually split ways in what has been called the “battle for the soul of the oil-rich state.”
The All Progressives Congress gained 27 lawmakers earlier this week who were reportedly Wike supporters. Fubara, who seems willing to accept the consequences, wasted little time in demolishing the state House of Assembly complex, which was seen as a brilliant move to override any votes the lawmakers might have taken against him.
Following a few of high-ranking government officials quitting their jobs in a rerun of the Godwin Obaseki/Adams Oshiomhole rivalry from a few years ago, events have now moved very quickly.
According to Sections 11(4) and (5) of the 1999 Constitution (as modified), the National Assembly may step in to restore order in Rivers State by assuming the job of state legislators until normalcy returns. This is because of the tension in the state.
“The National Assembly may make such laws for the peace, order, and good government of that state concerning matters on which a House of Assembly may make laws as may appear,” reads subsection (4), “at any time when any House of Assembly of a state is unable to perform its functions because of the situation prevailing in that state.”
“A House of Assembly shall not be deemed to be incapable of performing its functions for the purposes of subsection (4) of this section, so long as the House of Assembly is able to hold a meeting and transact business,” states subsection (5).
The continual political unrest in Rivers State has not yet been brought before the Green Chamber, according to Phillip Agbese, the deputy spokesman for the House of Representatives, who spoke exclusively to this publication. He noted that until that happens, there will be little to no action in the meantime.
It is true, according to Agbese, that the National Assembly is empowered by the Constitution to step in when a state House of Assembly has a documented crisis and is unable to carry out its duties.
There is no crisis that has been reported to the 10th House. There is not much we can do to intervene in the situation if it is not formally aware of it, but we hope that an amicable resolution will be reached so that Rivers MPs may continue doing the work for which they were chosen by their constituents. I’m done talking for now.
protests directed against the crisis
The National President of the Ijaw National Congress and two members of the National Assembly from Rivers State led separate groups to Port Harcourt on Friday to express their support for the governor and protest the events in the state, adding a new twist to the political crisis in the state.
The two members of the National Assembly are Boma Goodhead, who represents the Asari-Toru/Akuku-Toru Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, and Awaji-Inombek Abiante, who represents the Andoni/Opopo/Nkoro Federal Constituency.
The politicians organized a solidarity march that saw hundreds of young people singing and marching from the well-known UTC intersection down Azikiwe Road, past the Government House, and ending at the Rivers State House of Assembly complex’s gate.
In his speech, Abiante clarified that the state was not a conquered area and that the people of the Rivers were not slaves.
With a subtle jab at the minister for the Federal Capital Territory, he claimed that while Wike ruled the state and claimed to have touched every council area, nothing changed in his local government area of Andoni. He also criticized Wike for having organized the impending impeachment of Fubara.
Additionally, he pushed President Bola Tinubu to follow his own advice and make sure that Rivers State had excellent administration, emphasizing that respect for the law and good government go hand in hand.
There are slaves who are content to be enslaved forever, stated the federal politician. However, you will come across references to Rivers State if you study the evolution of the state’s history and the global abolition of slavery.
“We don’t live as slaves. Those slaves who are content in their chains are not us. I would want to thank President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for informing the world and reaffirming that excellent governance is, in fact, one factor that can prevent both violent takeovers of government and human violence.
He is the chair of the West African Heads of Government and preached it. He must preach the same thing in his own country, we beg him. Nothing can be sold that you do not possess. We cannot turn into a laughingstock among the West African sub-region’s countries.
In my opinion as a member of the ECOWAS Parliament, Tinubu has preached respect for us, and we do deserve it. Rivers State is a test case for effective governance.
Respect for the law is a prerequisite for good governance. We have elected several people who have offered to step down from their positions. The law stipulates that. Legislators shouldn’t appear to be disobeying the law.
Abiante claimed that the legislation specified that the state House of Assembly members would forfeit their rights, a jab at those who left to join the APC.
They ought to have the guts to leave their belongings outside of the designated quarters for Rivers State House of Assembly members, he continued. The Rivers State House of Assembly is no longer comprised of them.
“As the court has ordered, they should likewise cease being in contempt of court. Additionally, they have chosen to forsake the duty entrusted to them.
As you depart from this place, return home and start choosing the people who will represent you in the Assembly. I witnessed someone who was meant to be representing me openly declare that he signed the petition to remove the governor that God had appointed.
Why does he wish to have Fubara impeached? Is it because, during the eight years of the previous administration of Rivers State in Andoni, not even a single restroom was opened?
“To my pride, not a single restroom was inaugurated, and I’ve completed every task in every local government area.” I invite anyone who knows what happened in Andoni to come tell me. We have a decent road leading to the Andoni LGA headquarters in less than six months, and someone we chose to represent us is informing us that he wishes to remove the governor. Is there ever a chance that will work?
“Therefore, we have recently communicated with the President to establish sound governance, starting from the state of Rivers. Once more, I would like to inform the Inspector-General of Police. When I denounced the attempted assassination of the governor of Rivers State from the House floor, the Inspector General informed me that it was all false information.
“How can he claim that something that was seen by people worldwide was fake news? We are going to pardon him. Had that not been the case, we would have declared that a persona such as that was unfit for office. We have, however, pardoned him. It must not take place once more.
The Rivers people are under Sim Fubara’s leadership. We have not dispatched any person or group of people parading anything at all.
Leading a large group of young Ijaw people to the Government House in support of Fubara—whom he referred to as a true Ijaw son—was Prof. Benjamin Okaba, President of the INC.
The young people carried signs with multiple messages to emphasize their point while they sang and danced.
The words “Let’s end godfatherism,” “The governor must be allowed to govern,” “Rivers must be from impunity and tyranny,” and “Rivers and Ijaw people are in support of Governor Fubara” were among those written on the placards.
“These are Ijaw people gathered here on this fateful day,” Okaba said to reporters observing from the sidelines. We are from seven South-South states. In Port Harcourt right now are more than two million Ijaw youngsters.
Our decision to march in symbolic unity to the Government House in Port Harcourt has been made. Ijaw people, both men and women, are from Lagos, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Edo, and Ondo states. In order to support our son, the duly elected governor of Rivers State, we will, if necessary, gather Ijaw people from every coastal zone.
“This rally is intended to urge President Tinubu to instruct his minister to stop putting his knee in the governor of Rivers State’s neck.”
In spite of the President, PDP governors, elders, the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers, and numerous other Democrats nationwide intervening, he voiced dismay that “Wike is still hell bent on cutting short the tenure of Fubara.” To thwart any attempt to undermine the process, that is our mission.
The Ijaw people come here to declare that although Wike has won many battles, they are still at war with one another. Permit him to explore the history of the Ijaw people. Since the pre-colonial era, the Ijaw nation has never been subjugated. We also won’t be defeated.
“The Ijaw people are being dared by Wike.” The Ijaw people are at war with Wike, and we are prepared for him.
The head of the INC highlighted that Tinubu was helping him to create a situation in Rivers State by refusing to warn the minister.
The people of the Niger Delta could no longer ensure the security of oil facilities in the area, Okaba continued, adding that the Ijaw nation had been marginalized for far too long despite having oil resources and installations that support the nation.
He claimed that the President was endorsing the minister because of his silence while Wike embarrassed his own state.
He continued, “We are already incensed about President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s marginalization of the Ijaw people. Three people were selected for federal jobs in Delta State, however none of them are from the Ijaw tribe.
The Ijaws are the most economically viable people in that state in the interim. All of this is being noted. However, the fact that he said nothing and let Wike act badly indicates that there is some implicit backing. We won’t accept that, either.
We can no longer guarantee the safety of the oil installations on Ijaw territory and our region if things continue in this manner because our people are so furious and agitated as we speak.
And if the President is treating us like you’re not worth anything, keep going. It remains to be seen if the Ijaw people will continue to be Ijaw people and speak and act upon their words.
Nigeria has been surviving off the oil produced in Ijaw land since 1958. We continue to bemoan both environmental degradation and marginalisation.
The Ijaw people are the most impacted when it comes to climate change and related issues. However, on a daily basis, we are not treated like humans. This needs to end.
Anger and resentment are felt by forty million Ijaw people. A slap on Governor Fubara, they further claim, is a smack on the entire Ijaw people. A cry for help would be any attempt to further restrict political space in an effort to remove Siminalayi Fubara from office.
