In a bold move, the Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, has declared the recently constituted Rivers State Investment Promotion Agency illegal. The House, which remains loyal to Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, criticised Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s actions, asserting that his appointments to the agency lacked any legal backing.
During its 41st sitting on Thursday in Port Harcourt, the Assembly pointed out that there was no law authorising the creation of the agency, nor had the House been formally notified of its establishment. This stance was encapsulated in a statement issued by Martins Wachukwu, media aide to the Speaker.
The controversy emerged following a report by Gerald Oforji, Chairman of the House Committee on Commerce and Industry, who described the agency’s inauguration by the governor as “purported.” The committee’s report acknowledged the potential of a properly established agency to boost the state’s business environment but regretted the absence of legislative approval for its creation.
“The committee maintained that if such a law existed, the individuals nominated would have been subject to confirmation by the Rivers State House of Assembly,” the report noted.
Leveraging these findings, the House voiced discontent with the governor’s decision, accusing Fubara of relegating governance standards. Speaker Amaewhule went further, criticising the governor for similar actions in the past, including appointments to the Bureau for Public Procurement, without regard to legal procedures.
In a vote on the matter, the House unanimously condemned the governor’s actions, declaring them both illegal and questionable, adding fuel to the simmering political tensions in the state.
