The list of commissioners, special advisers and other key aides as well as their portfolios was handed over to the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, by his predecessor, Nyesom Wike

A close aide of the governor, who disclosed this said Fubara had no input into the appointments as his predecessor was solely responsible for their selection and appointment.

The source said the resignation of some of the commissioners was a confirmation that they were not the governor’s choices, but were rather imposed by Wike, who installed Fubara as his successor.

The aide stated, “Yes, the resignation of the commissioners has shown that they were not appointed by the governor.

They were never his nominees. The list of the commissioners and advisers was handed over to the governor by the former governor with instructions on portfolios and offices to occupy. Even security agents were handed over to the governor with clear instructions on where to post them.

“Is there a way the governor can appoint commissioners, advisers and others and they will be resigning this way? It is not possible. Don’t forget that we are just about seven months in office. Commissioners appointed by the governor won’t leave.”

Responding to the claim by the FCT minister that the governor and all elected officials in Rivers State did not buy nomination forms from their pockets, the source said, “Yes, the former governor was correct to say he bought the forms for everyone. But pray, with which money? You know the salary of a governor and you know the cost of nomination and expression of interest forms for the Peoples Democratic Party.

“Let those who want to go leave and the governor will assemble members of his team, and not moles planted to spy on the administration.”

More commissioners resign

The gale of resignation from the Rivers State Executive Council continued on Friday with three more commissioners joining the fray.

They are the commissioners for Transport, Dr Jacobson Nbina; Housing, Dr Gift Worlu; and Environment, Austen Ben-Chioma.

Their resignations were contained in separate letters cited by one of our correspondents and addressed to the governor through the Secretary to the State Government.

Both Nbina and Austen-Ben Chioma were also commissioners under Wike.

This brings to nine the commissioners who have so far resigned their appointments.

Nbina, who confirmed his resignation on Friday via the telephone said, “Yes, I resigned yesterday (Thursday).”

Asked the reason for his action, he stated, “The reason is personal to me and my family commitments. I don’t have any issue with the governor. It is very personal.”

There were reports that their action was preparing the ground for them to officially defect to the APC, though this had yet to be confirmed.

Earlier, Prof Zacchaeus Adangor, SAN (Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice); Dr Des George-Kelly ((Works); Emeka Woke (Special Duties); Mrs Inime Aguma (Social Welfare and Rehabilitation); Isaac Kamalu (Finance); and Prof Chinedu Mmom (Education), had resigned from Fubara’s cabinet

Mmom, Adangor, Aguma, George-Kelly, Nbina and Kamalu all served as commissioners under the immediate past administration of Wike and before being reappointed by Fubara.

On his part, Emeka Woke, who also resigned from Fubara’s cabinet as special duties commissioner, was Wike’s chief of staff for eight years.

Speaking to our correspondent on Wednesday, the Caretaker Committee Chairman of the APC in Rivers State, Chief Tony Okocha, said a formal launch of the new APC in the state was scheduled for this weekend, adding, “You will see the tsunami that will happen that day.”

Assembly demolition continues

Meanwhile, the demolition of the state House of Assembly complex continued on Friday with the hallowed chambers completely pulled down.

One of our correspondents, who visited the complex around 10am, reported that there were four bulldozers inside the complex pulling down other adjoining buildings.

The Commissioner for Information and Communications, Joe Johnson, had told journalists that the decision of the state government to demolish the complex built during the administration of Dr Peter Odili was because, after the visit of the governor 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.

“So, the government will rebuild the complex. But for the meantime, the state has provided a place for the lawmakers to be sitting pending when the building is completed,” Johnson had stated.

A team of policemen in a patrol van was stationed at the Assembly entrance, while both ends of the Moscow Road leading into the complex had security blockades though human and vehicular restrictions had been relaxed.

‘Why NASS can’t intervene’

The House of Representatives has given reasons why it will not take up the functions of the Rivers State House of Assembly, which is currently embroiled in a crisis owing to the feud between Fubara and Wike.

Fubara, the political godson of the Federal Capital Territory minister, has literally parted ways with the former governor in what has been described as the battle for the soul of the oil-rich state.

Earlier in the week, 27 lawmakers believed to be loyalists of Wike defected to the All Progressives Congress, and Fubara, who appears ready to damn the consequences, wasted no time in demolishing the state House of Assembly complex, a move seen as a masterstroke to nullify whatever decisions the lawmakers are likely to take against him.

Things have since moved very fast with a couple of top government functionaries resigning their positions in a replay of the Godwin Obaseki/Adams Oshiomhole feud a few years ago.

The tension in Rivers State has led to suggestions of possible intervention by the National Assembly to restore order by taking over the role of the state lawmakers until the return of normalcy in line with the provision of Section 11 (4) and (5) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

Subsection (4) provides, “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, 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.”

Subsection (5) reads, “For the purposes of subsection (4) of this section, a House of Assembly shall not be deemed to be unable to perform its functions as long as the House of Assembly can hold a meeting and transact business.”

Deputy spokesman of the House of Representatives, Phillip Agbese, said the ongoing political turbulence in Rivers State had yet to be tabled before the Green Chamber, noting that until that was done, there could be little or no intervention in the interim.

Agbese stated, “It is true that there is a constitutional backing for the National Assembly to intervene where there are established instances of crisis in a state House of Assembly that is unable to perform its functions.

“The 10th House has not been notified of any crisis. If it is not formally aware, there is nothing much we can do by way of intervention in the crisis, but it is our wish that the matter will be resolved amicably so that Rivers lawmakers can go about the business they were elected to do by their people. This is all I can say for now.”

Protests against crisis

The political crisis in the state took a new twist on Friday as two members of the National Assembly from Rivers State and the National President of the Ijaw National Congress led separate groups to Port Harcourt to protest against the happenings in the state and registered their solidarity with the governor.

The two National Assembly members are Awaji-Inombek Abiante, who represents the Andoni/Opopo/Nkoro Federal Constituency, and Boma Goodhead, the representative of the Asari-Toru/Akuku-Toru Federal Constituency, both in the House of Representatives.