The Rivers State House of Assembly led by Martin Amaehwule has given Governor Siminalayi Fubara fresh 48 hours ultimatum to sack all his cabinet members that were not screened by them.
The pro-Wike legislators also asked the governor to sack other appointees who were not screened by them within the next two days.
The House asked Fubara to submit a new list of nominees for appointment as commissioners and other appointees within 48 hours.
These were part of the resolutions adopted by the factional Assembly during plenary on Wednesday, at the 131″ Legislative day of the Second Session.
Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule, in a letter to Governor Fubara, accused him of disregarding the 1999 Constitution and undermining
democracy in the state.
He said: “We have observed that the Governor has consistently disregarded the provisions of the 1999 Constitution as amended and other extant laws in making appointments to various offices”.
The Assembly criticized the Governor’s failure to forward the name of a nominee for Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, instead parading Mr. Dagogo Iboroma as a member of the State Executive Council in that position, adding that the action contravenes Section 192(2) & (6) and Section 195(1) of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
Also, they frowned at the swearing in 19 persons as Commissioners without screening and confirmation, contrary to Section 192(2) & (6) of the 1999 Constitution.
Other infractions highlighted by the lawmakers include the swearing in of members of the Rivers State Bureau on Public Procurement and the Rivers State Local Government Service Commission without required screening and confirmation.
They urged the Governor to comply with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution and other extant laws as well as submit a list of nominees for appointment of Commissioners and other offices requiring screening and confirmation in two days.
According to the Speaker, “We call on the Governor to respect the Constitution and extant laws to avoid threatening our democracy. We will continue to perform our oversight functions to ensure that the Governor’s actions are in line with the law.”
Part of the letter read: “the House amongst other matters once again deliberated on your numerous appointments of persons into positions that require screening and confirmation by the Rivers State House Assembly and resolved that your attention should once again be drawn to your illegal appointments of persons to serve in various offices without first forwarding their names for screening and confirmation as required by the 1999 Constitution as amended and other extant laws.
“That we should remind you of another infraction of the Constitution in which you illegally swore-in several other persons who are parading themselves as Commissioners into the Rivers State Executive Council on Tuesday 21” May, 2024 namely- Prince Charles O. Beke; Collins Onunwo; Solomon Eke; Peter Medee, Elloka Tasie-Amadi; Basoene Joshua Benibo; Tambari Sydney Gbara and Ovy Orluideye Chinendum Chukwuma without screening and confirmation by the Rivers State House of Assembly in full compliance with Section 192(2) & (6) of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
“Others who were sworn in on Tuesday 13″h of August 2024 are llamu Arugu; Rowland Obed Whyte; Samuel Anya; Samuel Eyiba and Austin Emeka Nnadozie while Israel Ngbuelu; Evans Bipi; Otamiri Ngubo and Benibo Alabraba were sworn in on Monday 7th October 2024. Emmanuel Frank-Fubara was sworn-in on the 8th of July 2024 amounting to total number of 19 persons parading themselves and misleading Rivers people that they are Commissioners.”
The letter also noted that, “another infraction of the law is the swearing in of Lawrence Oko-Jaja as Chairman; Earnest Ibekwe Ekwe; Mina Ogbanga; Iseleye Amachree and Adokiye Oyagiri as members of the Rivers State Bureau on Public Procurement on Friday 30 of August 2024 without screening and confirmation by the Rivers State House of Assembly as stipulated in Section 4(a) of the Rivers State Public Procurement Law No. 4 of 2008. Others are Gift Alex-Hart; Grace Osaronu and Selinah Amonieah as members.
“The swearing-in of Goodlife Ben as Chairman; Emmanuel Jaja; Betty Warmate; Jerome Chimenem; Prince Ohochukwu; Philip Okparaji and Christian Amadi as members of the Rivers State Local Government Service Commission without screening and confirmation contrary to Section 44(3) of the Rivers State Local Government Law No. 5 of 2018 is another infraction.
“These appointments by you that are highlighted and other appointments made but not mentioned here for want of space that are not in consonance with extant laws are not only infractions but are seriously threatening our nascent democracy so, should and shall be remedied.
“The House therefore, requests you to submit a list of nominees for appointment as Commissioners into the Rivers State Executive Council as well as list of nominees for appointment to fill vacancies in all the offices mentioned above or those not listed but require screening and confirmation by the Rivers State House of Assembly within 48 hours.”