By Adesina Soyooye
“Dark cloud which could break into a huge storm is circling Rivers State”
The Rivers State House of Assembly, is going for the broke. Still basking in the euphoria of the Supreme Court judgement of February 28 which handed them the running of the House of Assembly, members, led by the Speaker, Martin Amaewhule, are bent on bringing Governor Siminalayi Fubara to his knees.
Since Monday when they officially reconvened, they have not given Fubara a breathing space. And they have not hidden where their possible final destination is – humiliate Fubara, strip him of all powers, and finally, perhaps, impeach him.
For instance, same Monday they resumed, they gave the Governor an ultimatum to re-present the 2025 Budget which he had presented to the five members loyal to him since January. The re-presentation of the Budget was one of the directives of the Supreme Court.
This immediate ultimatum was given to the Governor without any communication to him or with him. It expired on Wednesday and the Governor has so responded that “there is no letter before him from the House”.
They, also, same day, countered the Governor’s order that the Administrative Heads of Local Governments take over from the elected Local Government Chairmen, whose election, in October 2024, the Supreme Court annulled, pending a fresh election.
Next, they summoned the Chairman of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, RSIEC, Honourable Justice Adolphus Enebeli, rtd, to appear before them within 48 hours to brief them on the October 2024 Local Government Election which the Supreme Court already annulled. If he fails to appear, they threatened, he will be slammed with a warrant of arrest.
Before that could sink in, the Lawmakers who seem in love with “a-48 hour ultimatum”, demanded of the Governor the sack of his Commissioners and, to present before them, new set of nominees within 48 hours.
They, also, demanded the sack of other appointees not screened by the Lawmakers.
The letter sent to the Governor reads:
“At the 131st Legislative day of the Second Session of the Tenth (10th) Rivers State House of Assembly which held on Wednesday the 5th day of March 2025, the House amongst other matters once again deliberated on your numerous appointments of persons into positions that require screening and confirmation by the Rivers State House Assembly and resolved as follows:
“That your attention should once again be drawn to your illegal appointments of persons to serve in various offices without first forwarding their names for screening and confirmation as required by the 1999 Constitution as amended and other extant laws.
“That your attention should specifically be drawn to your failure to forward the name of a nominee for appointment as Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice to the Rivers State House of Assembly for screening and confirmation but chose to parade one Mr. Dagogo Iboroma as a member of the State Executive Council in this regard, thereby contravening Section 192(2) & (6) as well as Section 195(1) of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
That we should remind you of another infraction of the Constitution in which you illegally swore in several other persons who are parading themselves as Commissioners into the Rivers State Executive Council on Tuesday 21st May 2024, namely- Prince Charles O. Beke; Collins Onunwo; Solomon Eke; Peter Medee; Elloka Tasie-Amadi; Basoene Joshua Benibo; Tambari Sydney Gbara and Ovy Orluideye Chinedum Chukwuma without screening and confirmation by the Rivers State House of Assembly in full compliance with Section 192(2) & (6) of the 1999 Constitution as amended. Others who were sworn in on Tuesday 13th August 2024 are Illamu Arug; Rowland Obed Whyte; Samuel Anyan; Stanley Eke and Austin Emeka Nnadozie while Israel Ngbelu; Evans Bipi; Otarinij Ngubo and Benibo Alabraba were sworn in on Monday 7th October 2024. Emmanuel Frank-Fubara was sworn in on 8th July 2024, amounting to a total number of 19 persons parading themselves and misleading Rivers people that they are Commissioners.
“1: That another infraction of the law is the swearing in of Lawrence Oko-Jaja as Chairman; Earnest Ibekwe Ekwe; Mina Ogbanag; 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.
“2: That the swearing-in of Goodlife Ben as Chairman; Emmanuel Jaja; Betty Warmate; Jerome Chimemen; 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.
“3: 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.
“4: That the House requests you to submit a list of nominees for appointment as Commissioners into the Rivers State Executive Council as well as a list of nominees for appointment to fill vacancies in all the offices mentioned above that those listed but require screening and confirmation by the Rivers State House of Assembly within 48 hours.
“We, therefore, urge you to act fast and do the needful by complying with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution as amended and other extant laws, in the best interest of the good people of Rivers State.
Kindly accept the assurances of our high regards.
“Sincerely,
(Signed)
Rt. Hon. Martin Chike Amaewhule, DSSRS Speaker”
Not a few people think that dark clouds are circling in Rivers State and likely to break into a huge storm.
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