Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
Four more Pro-Wike remaining returnee Commissioners have resigned from the Rivers State Executive Council today, May 15, citing the political crisis that has engulfed the state.
They are the Commissioner for Education, Chinedu Mmom, the Commissioner for Housing, Gift Worlu, Jacobson Nbina, the Commissioner for Transportation, the Commissioner for Environment, and Austen Ben-Chioma.
In the various letters, the former Commissioners cited the political crisis in the state.
The commissioners cited a toxic environment as the reason for their resignation
Dr Worlu also said he resigned because of the attempt to fuse the executive and legislative arm of government in Rivers State.
Professor Mmom, Dr Worlu, and Nbina were among the nine commissioners who resigned from Governor Fubara’s cabinet last year during the peak of the political crisis in the state. They were, however, re-nominated and sworn in January following the intervention of President Bola Tinubu.
Our Correspondent reports that the resignations of the remnants of the Pro-Wike Commissioners were long overdue as the peace Accord brokered by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has become a subject of controversy litigations in various courts and the parallel legislative arms with the one Martin Amaewhule-led 27 Lawmakers loyal to Nyesom Wike Minister of Federal Capital Territory and Speaker Victor Oko Jumbo loyal to Governor Fubara claiming legitimacy and working at cross-purposes.
Just as the Pro-Wike loyalists are leaving the cabinet, there have been calls on Governor Fubara to appoint new Commissioners who can work with him.
For instance, the former Deputy Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Leyii Kwanee has commended Governor Siminalayi Fubara for summoning the courage to appoint Dagogo Ibiroma as Attorney-General Commissioner for Justice amidst the raging crisis in the state.
He urged the Governor to continue in that line of boldness by sending more Commissioner Nominees to the Rt Hon. Victor Oko-Jumno-led House of Assembly for effective governance.
Kewanee urged all stakeholders in the crisis to sheathe their swords and push for a common front to address the present Governance Crisis in the state.
He commended Governor Siminialayi Fubara for taking a crucial step towards restoring stability in the state’s governance by sending Dagogo Israel Ibiroma as commissioner-nominee for screening to the Rt. Hon. Oko Jumbo led the legislature
Hon Kwanee said the move demonstrated the Governor’s commitment to upholding the principles of democracy and ensuring the effective functioning of government.
He urged the Governor to sustain the momentum by sending more names of nominees to the Assembly to fill the remaining vacant commissioner positions for effective representation and good governance.
Hon. Kewanee, however, lamented that the current political crisis in the state has adversely affected governance, adding that “swift action must be taken to address the situation by filling critical positions which will enable the wheel of governance to move forward, providing much-needed services and support to Rivers People”.
The lawyer however called on the independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to, as a matter of constitutional importance, conduct elections immediately to fill the vacant positions in the state legislature occasioned by the defection of 27 members, as provided by law.
This, he said, “will ensure that the state’s governance is a true representation of the people’s will”.