The Rivers State House of Assembly has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Governor Siminalayi Fubara to submit a new list of commissioner nominees.
This resolution was passed during the Assembly’s 131st legislative session on Wednesday, March 5, in Port Harcourt, according to a letter addressed to the state governor.
In the letter signed by the Speaker, Martin Amaewhule, the assembly expressed concerns over the Governor’s alleged repeated appointments to positions that, by law, require prior screening and confirmation by the legislative body.
The legislators stressed that such unauthorized actions not only undermined the law but also posed a serious threat to democracy in the state.
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The statement said Fubara’s actions, including his decision to designate one Dagogo Iboroma for the post of attorney-general and commissioner for justice, without submitting his name for proper confirmation, constitute clear violations of the 1999 Constitution as amended, as well as other extant laws.
The House further decried the swearing-in of several appointees as commissioners and members of other statutory bodies over the past months, noting that these appointments were executed without the mandatory legislative oversight.
They considered the actions a breach of constitutional provisions governing such appointments.
The legislators also pointed out alleged irregularities in the constitution of the Rivers State Bureau on Public Procurement and the Rivers State Local Government Service Commission.
They noted that appointments to these bodies were made without the mandatory screening and confirmation by the Assembly, alleged contravening the Rivers State Public Procurement Law No. 4 of 2008 and the Rivers State Local Government Law No. 5 of 2018, respectively.
It, therefore, mandated Fubara to submit a list of nominees for the aforementioned positions within 48 hours.
“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.
“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.”
This came after the assembly gave Fubara 48 hours to represent the 2025 appropriation bill.
The Rivers government however siad it had not yet received any official communication regarding the ultimatum.
The Secretary to the State Government, Dr Tammy Danagogo, in a letter dated 5th March, 2025, and addressed to the state House of Assembly, said the government got to know about the 48 hours ultimatum on social media.