The political tension in Rivers State has escalated as the faction of the State House of Assembly led by Speaker Rt. Hon. Martins Amaewhule has demanded the immediate sack of 19 commissioners and political appointees.
In a letter addressed to Governor Siminalayi Fubara on Wednesday, Amaewhule insisted that the appointments were unlawful since the nominees were not screened and confirmed by his faction of the Assembly. Citing sections 192 (2) and (5) as well as 195 (1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the Speaker ordered the Governor to submit a fresh list of nominees within 48 hours.
Of particular concern was the appointment of Dagogo Iboroma as the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, which Amaewhule claimed violated constitutional provisions.
In response, the Commissioner for Environment, Hon. Sydney Tambari, dismissed the demands, describing them as baseless and politically motivated. Tambari argued that all commissioners had been properly screened by the then Speaker Rt. Hon. Edison Ehie — now Chief of Staff at Government House — who, according to him, was recognized by a competent court as the legitimate Speaker at the time.
Tambari further clarified that following Ehie’s resignation, Rt. Hon. Victor Oko-Jumbo took over as Speaker and also screened and confirmed several commissioners and appointees. He maintained that Governor Fubara had no obligation to submit any new list of nominees, emphasizing that the appointments had already been legitimized by due process.
“Their demand has been overtaken by events,” Tambari said. “All the commissioners and political appointees were duly screened, and there is no reason for the Governor to submit any fresh list.”
He criticized the lawmakers for allegedly overstepping their bounds, adding that the Supreme Court ruling they referenced only addressed the 2024 budget, not the removal of commissioners.
As the political standoff continues, the people of Rivers State watch closely, hoping for stability and unity in governance.
