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| Governor fubara |
The Rivers State Government has rejected the directive from the State House of Assembly, led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, to sack all commissioners and submit a new list of nominees.
The lawmakers had given Governor Siminalayi Fubara a 48-hour ultimatum, but the government dismissed the demand as unconstitutional and baseless.
Commissioner for Environment, Sydney Tambari, accused the lawmakers of overstepping their powers, stating that all current commissioners were lawfully screened by the Assembly under former Speaker Edison Ehie and his successor, Victor Oko-Jumbo. Tambari emphasized that there is no legal need for the governor to reappoint his commissioners, as their appointments remain valid.
He also clarified that the recent Supreme Court ruling only addressed the 2025 budget presentation and did not mandate the removal of commissioners or political appointees.
Therefore, the government's stance is that the demand for new appointments is irrelevant and has been "overtaken by events.