The Rivers State House of Assembly on Wednesday ordered the nine commissioners who resigned their positions last to ‘take a bow and go.’
The parliament, led by Rt Hon. Martin Amaewhule, invited the commissioner-nominees for screening on Monday as part of the 8-point peace agenda signed by Governor Sim Fubara of Rivers State and FCT Minister Nyesom Wike following a meeting with President Bola Tinubu in Abuja.
The nominees, according to Channels Television, are: Zacchaeus Adangor, Dr. Jacobson Mbina, Dr. Gift Worlu, Mrs. Inime Chinwenwo- Aguma, Engr. Chukwuemeka Woke.
Others included Prof. Prince Chinedu Mmom, Dr. George-Kelly D. Alabo, Hon. Isaac Kamalu and Engr. Austin Ben Chioma.
During plenary at the hallowed chamber in the Legislative Quarters, Off PH/Aba Expressway, Port Harcourt, the Speaker read the letter from Governor Siminalayi Fubara, requesting the screening and confirmation of the commissioner nominees.
The letter dated December 11, 2023, puts to rest controversy surrounding whether or not the governor made the request.
In his reaction, the Majority Leader of the House, Hon. Major Jack, moved a motion that, because the nominees have been screened before, there’s no need to repeat the process; as such, they should take a bow and go.
The motion was supported by the deputy speaker, Rt Hon Dumle Maol, hence the lawmakers’ decision for the commissioner-nominees to ‘take a bow and go.’
The Speaker also complained that the staff in the Government House in Port Harcourt have been declining to receive correspondence from the House.
He warned that if the governor’s office declines to accept correspondence from them, then the House will also decline to receive any correspondence from Fubara.
It is, however, not clear if the governor will reply to the latest concern raised by Amaewhule, an ally of the immediate past governor, Wike.
A few weeks ago, the nominees resigned their positions as commissioners in the Fubara cabinet owing to the political impasse between Wike, the immediate past governor of the state, and Fubara.