The Rivers State House of Assembly has issued Governor Siminalayi Fubara a 48-hour ultimatum to submit a fresh list of commissioner nominees.

The House, dominated by lawmakers loyal to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike, passed the resolution during its 131st legislative session in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, March 5, 2025.

This is contained in a letter signed by the Speaker, Martins Amaewhule, and addressed to the state Governor.

In the letter, the Assembly expressed deep concerns over Fubara’s alleged repeated appointments to positions that statutorily require prior screening and confirmation by the legislative body.

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The lawmakers noted that such unauthorised actions not only undermined the law but also posed a serious threat to democracy in the state.

The statement highlighted the Governor's actions, which included naming Dagogo Iboroma as the attorney-general and commissioner for justice without submitting his name for proper confirmation. It described this as a clear violation of the 1999 Constitution as amended, as well as other extant laws.

The House further condemned the swearing-in of several appointees as commissioners and members of other statutory bodies over the past months, saying those appointments were executed without mandatory legislative oversight.

The legislators considered the actions a breach of constitutional provisions governing such appointments.

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They also pointed to alleged irregularities in the constitution of the Rivers State Bureau on Public Procurement and the Rivers State Local Government Service Commission.

The Assembly stressed that appointments to these bodies were made without its mandatory screening and confirmation, contravening the Rivers State Public Procurement Law No. 4 of 2008 and the Rivers State Local Government Law No. 5 of 2018, respectively.

“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.

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“We, therefore, urge you to act fast and do what is needed 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.”