Rivers State House of Assembly Calls for Withdrawal of Allegedly Unlawful Appointments by Gov Siminalayi Fubara
In a move that signals tension between the legislative and executive branches in Rivers State, the State House of Assembly has written to Governor Siminalayi Fubara, urging the withdrawal of recent appointments, citing alleged violations of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The letter, signed by Martin Amaewhule, the Speaker, and made available to journalists, accuses Governor Fubara of gross misconduct in making three key appointments to lead various parastatals without adhering to existing legal protocols.
The appointed officials in question include Goodlife Ben as Acting Chairman of the Local Government Service Commission, Dr. Ine Briggs as Acting Director-General of the Bureau for Public Procurement, and Tonte Davies as Acting Administrator of the New Cities Development Authority.
The Rivers House of Assembly asserts that these appointments run afoul of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and constitute a gross misconduct and abuse of power on the part of Governor Fubara. The lawmakers, referencing relevant sections of the Constitution, demand the immediate revocation of these appointments.
During a recent plenary session, Amaewhule expressed dissatisfaction with Governor Fubara’s decision to appoint an Administrator for the New Cities Development Authority, a body lacking legislative recognition in the state. He further argued that the appointments of an acting Chairman for the Local Government Service Commission and an Acting Director-General for the Bureau for Public Procurement violate the established laws governing these institutions.
The House, in a collective vote, resolved to write to Governor Fubara, emphasizing the alleged violations of Section 44(3) of the Rivers State Local Government Law No. 5 of 2018 and Section 5(1) of the Rivers State Public Procurement Law No. 4 of 2008.
Political analysts suggest that accusations of “gross misconduct” are serious and could potentially provide grounds for impeachment. However, as of the current report, neither the Governor nor the Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice have responded to the letter from the Rivers State House of Assembly. The situation remains dynamic, and further developments are awaited.
