Fubara Swears in Five Commissioners Amid Political Crisis

Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has sworn in five new commissioners despite political crisis in the state.

He said his administration would continue to remain focused on ensuring the expectations of Rivers people are met.

He said this shortly after the swearing-in of five new commissioners and two special advisers, at the Executive Council Chamber of the Government House, Port Harcourt, on Wednesday.

The commissioners are Ilamu Arugu (Abua/Odual LGA); Dr Roland Obed-Whyte (Degema LGA); Austin Emeka Nnadozie (Etche LGA); Samuel Eyiba (Ahoada West LGA); and Samuel Anya (Abia State, representing non-indigenes).

The special advisers are Forgive Amachree (Ahoada-West LGA) and Mr Achor Nna (Obio-Akpor LGA).

The commissioners were screened and confirmed by the Victor Oko-Jumbo-led state House of Assembly on Tuesday.

The new set of commissioners was the fourth set to be screened and confirmed by the state House of Assembly after some commissioners loyal to Fubara’s estranged godfather and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, resigned from the state executive council.

The political crisis in the state led to the faction of the assembly loyal to Fubara taking over the leadership of the legislature after 27 pro-Wike lawmakers fell out with the governor in October 2023.
While the Appeal Court had reinstated the pro-Wike lawmakers, the governor insisted they were no longer lawmakers in the state.

Speaking at the swearing-in of the new commissioners, the governor insisted that governance was about the provision of quality development of both infrastructure and appropriate social amenities that contribute to making living pleasurable and better for the people.

He stated, “We are into governance now, not politics. When we get to politics, we will talk about politics. But today, what we are doing here is welcoming you onboard, charging you to be good ambassadors, not just to this administration, but to your people.

“It is a call to duty, so work in a manner that everybody will be happy. Governance is about making the people happy, and that is our aim."

The governor congratulated the new appointees, and urged them not to disappoint the people.