The Rivers State House of Assembly has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Governor Siminalayi Fubara, demanding he submit a fresh list of commissioner nominees.
In a letter dated March 5, Speaker Martin Amaewhule and the assembly accused Fubara of bypassing the legislative screening and confirmation process by swearing in 19 commissioners without approval. The lawmakers argued that this action violated constitutional provisions.
The assembly also alleged that the governor made multiple appointments to positions requiring legislative consent before the appointees formally assumed office.
One specific case cited was Dagogo Iboroma’s appointment and swearing-in as Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice without first securing assembly confirmation.
The letter stated, “That another infraction of the law is the swearing in of Lawrence Oko-Jaja as Chairman; Earnest Ibekwe Ekwe; Mina Ogbanga; Iseleye Amachree and Adokiye Oyagiri as members of the Rivers State Bureau on Public Procurement on Friday 30th of August 2024 without screening and confirmation by the Rivers State House of Assembly as stipulated in Section 4(a) of the Rivers State Public Procurement Law No. 4 of 2008. Others are Gift Alex-Hart; Grace Osaronu and Selinah Amonieah as members,” the letter reads.
“That the swearing-in of Goodlife Ben as chairman; Emmanuel Jaja, Betty Warmate; Jerome Chimenem; Prince Ohochukwu; Philip Okparaji and Christian Amadi as members of the Rivers State Local Government Service Commission without screening and confirmation contrary to Section 44(3) of the Rivers State Local Government Law No. 5 of 2018 is another infraction.
“That these appointments by you that are highlighted and other appointments made but not mentioned here for want of space that are not in consonance with extant laws are not only infractions but are seriously threatening our nascent democracy so, should and shall be remedied.
“That the House requests you to submit a list of nominees for appointment as commissioners into the Rivers State Executive Council as well as list of nominees for appointment to fill vacancies in all the offices mentioned above or those not listed but require screening and confirmation by the Rivers State House of Assembly within 48 hours.”
The lawmakers called on Governor Siminalayi Fubara to comply with the 1999 Constitution and other legal frameworks governing Rivers State.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court, in a ruling last Friday, directed the faction of the state assembly led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, along with other elected legislators, to reconvene and resume legislative activities.
The apex court also upheld an earlier Federal High Court decision barring the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Accountant-General of the Federation from disbursing statutory allocations to the state government.
Furthermore, the court annulled the local government elections conducted in Rivers State on October 5, 2024, declaring them invalid.
