Dare Babalola
The Rivers State House of Assembly has announced receipt of a list of commissioner-nominees from Governor Siminalayi Fubara, and has extended invitations to nine nominees for screening and confirmation proceedings.
Fubara had earlier forwarded names of nominees to the Martin Amaewhule-led Assembly to serve as members of the State Executive Council upon clearance.
This development comes approximately three weeks after the governor dismissed eight commissioners not affected by the Supreme Court ruling that recognised Martin Amaewhule as the legitimate Speaker of the House, and also terminated the appointments of his Special Advisers.
The invitation to the nominees was contained in a special government announcement dated March 3 and signed by the Clerk of the House, Emeka Amadi.
The statement read, “The Rivers State House of Assembly hereby invites nominees for appointment as commissioners and members of the Rivers State Executive Council to submit forty (40) sets of their curriculum vitae, photocopies of credentials and evidence of compliance with tax obligations.
“The nominees are Professor Datonye Alasia, Mr Tonye Bellgam, Professor Temple Nwofor, Dr Peters Nwagor, Mrs Charity Deemua, Tamuno Williams, Mr Lekue Kenneth, Otonye Amachree and Amairigha Edward Hart.
“All documents should be forwarded to the office of the Clerk of the House at the Rivers State House of Assembly Quarters.”
None of the recently sacked commissioners was included in the latest list forwarded to the lawmakers.
Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, are believed to have resolved their differences following the intervention of President Bola Tinubu in their prolonged political face-off.
Tinubu had also intervened in the impeachment proceedings initiated against the governor and his deputy by 27 lawmakers loyal to Wike.
Amaewhule had, in a statement issued over a fortnight ago, announced the withdrawal of the impeachment notice against the governor and his deputy in line with commitments made after the President’s intervention.
More nominees are expected, as Rivers State has 23 local government areas.
