Rivers Assembly, Gov Fubara battle rages

• Rejects Four Commissioner-Nominees

The crisis around political appointments in Rivers State deepened on Monday as the state House of Assembly rejected four out of the nine commissioner-nominees submitted by Governor Siminalayi Fubara for screening and confirmation.

The lawmakers, however, approved five nominees for appointment into the State Executive Council after subjecting them to a screening exercise that lasted more than two hours.

The Speaker of the House, Martin Amaewhule, who presided over the plenary session, announced the decision after lawmakers debated motions supporting and opposing the nominees.

Amaewhule explained that the Assembly rejected the four nominees due to poor performance during the screening exercise as well as controversies and petitions surrounding their nominations.

“Distinguished colleagues, we have nine nominees forwarded to this Assembly by the governor. At the end of the screening exercise, the House has confirmed five of them,” the Speaker said.

And four of them, the House has chosen to take a deep breath given their poor performance and controversies surrounding either their documents, and they have not been able to show this august Assembly that they are indeed prepared to serve Rivers State or that they are able.”

He added that the House concluded that the rejected nominees were not suitable for the positions they were nominated to occupy.

“We feel that they are not square pegs in square holes for the offices that they intend to occupy in the Rivers State Executive Council,” Amaewhule stated.

The Speaker said the Assembly would formally communicate its resolution to Governor Fubara to enable him take further steps.

“With your leave and in line with our rules, I will forward the resolution of this august Assembly to the governor so that he can take necessary steps for the interest of Rivers State,” he said.

Amaewhule also directed that a letter be sent to the governor requesting that the five cleared nominees be sworn in without delay.

“On that note, I’m going to forward a letter to the governor and ask him to swear in five of the nominees as soon as possible,” he added.

Those whose nominations were rejected by the lawmakers include Prof. Datonye Alasia, Barrister Tamuno Williams, Otonye Amachree, and Charity Deemua.

Meanwhile, the Assembly confirmed Tonye Belgam, Prof Temple Nwafor, Dr. Peters Nwagor, Lekue Kenneth, and Amarigha Edward-Hart as commissioners designate.

Following the conclusion of the screening exercise, the House adjourned plenary to March 17, 2026.