The Rivers State House of Assembly has confirmed receipt of a list of commissioner nominees from the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara, and invited nine candidates for screening and confirmation.
The submission marks the first tranche of appointments after Fubara dismissed eight commissioners three weeks ago, alongside all his special advisers, in the wake of a prolonged political crisis in the oil-rich state.
The reshuffle followed a supreme court judgment recognising Martin Amaewhule as the authentic speaker of the assembly, a ruling widely seen as pivotal in the contest for control of the legislature.
In a special announcement dated 3 March and signed by the clerk of the house, Dr Emeka Amadi, the assembly directed the nominees to submit 40 copies of their curriculum vitae, credentials and evidence of tax compliance as part of the vetting process.
Those named are Professor Datonye Alasia, Mr Tonye Bellgam, Professor Temple Nwofor, Dr Peters Nwagor, Mrs Charity Deemua, Tamuno Williams, Mr Lekue Kenneth, Otonye Amachree and Amairigha Edward Hart. The assembly did not specify when screening would take place.
None of the commissioners dismissed in the recent purge was included in the new list, suggesting a decisive break with the previous executive council.
Efforts to obtain clarification on the timetable from the chair of the house committee on information and complaints, Enemi George, were unsuccessful on Tuesday evening.
The political temperature in Rivers has cooled in recent weeks after months of confrontation between Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, now minister of the federal capital territory. The rift had fractured the state assembly and triggered impeachment proceedings against the governor and his deputy, Prof Ngozi Odu, by 27 lawmakers aligned with Wike.
Those proceedings were later withdrawn after intervention by Nigeria’s president, Bola Tinubu, who stepped in for a third time to broker a truce. Amaewhule subsequently announced that the house had complied with the president’s directive and halted the impeachment process.
With the nomination of new commissioners, Fubara appears to be consolidating his position and seeking to restore administrative normalcy, even as the fragile détente between the rival factions continues to shape the state’s political landscape.
