The Rivers State House of Assembly has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Governor Siminalayi Fubara, demanding that he submit a fresh list of commissioner nominees.
In a letter dated March 5, the Assembly, led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, accused the governor of violating the constitution by swearing in 19 commissioners without legislative screening and confirmation. The lawmakers also alleged that Fubara made several other appointments that legally required Assembly approval before assumption of duty.
Among the cited infractions was the appointment and swearing-in of Dagogo Iboroma as Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice without prior legislative confirmation.
Assembly Faults Public Procurement and Local Government Appointments
The Assembly further pointed to the swearing-in of officials into key government bodies without legislative oversight. These include:
- Rivers State Bureau on Public Procurement: The swearing-in of Lawrence Oko-Jaja as chairman, along with several members, was done in violation of Section 4(a) of the Rivers State Public Procurement Law No. 4 of 2008.
- Rivers State Local Government Service Commission: The appointment of Goodlife Ben as chairman and several members was deemed unlawful, contravening Section 44(3) of the Rivers State Local Government Law No. 5 of 2018.
The Assembly described these actions as threats to democracy and insisted they must be remedied immediately.
Supreme Court Rulings Escalate Political Tensions
The ultimatum comes amid heightened political tensions in Rivers State following recent Supreme Court rulings. Last Friday, the apex court ordered the Amaewhule-led Assembly faction to resume legislative duties and upheld a Federal High Court ruling barring the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Accountant-General of the Federation from releasing statutory allocations to Rivers State.
Additionally, the court nullified the local government elections conducted in the state on October 5, 2024.
With the Assembly pressing for compliance with constitutional provisions, all eyes are on Governor Fubara to see how he navigates the deepening political crisis in Rivers State.