Rivers Assembly Fires Back, Ask Gov. Fubara To Withdraw Illegitimate Appointments

The face-off between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and members of Rivers State House of Assembly loyal to Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike might be far from over as the lawmakers called on Governor Siminalayi Fubara to withdraw his appointments into three government parastatals. accusing him of engaging in illegitimate activities.

recall the Governor had announced the appointment of Mr. Goodlife Ben as acting Chairman of Local Government Service Commission, Dr. Mrs Ine Briggs as acting Director- General of Bureau for Public Procurement, and Mr. Tonte Davies as acting Administrator of New Cities Development Authority.

However, the Assembly on Monday, at its 100th Legislative Sitting frowned at the appointment adding that the Governor in the exercise of his powers, has relegated the laws to the background. According to a statement by  Media aide the speaker Martins Wachukwu “further averred that the appointment of an acting Chairman of the Local Government Service Commission, and an acting Director-General of the Bureau for Public Procurement are acts inconsistent with the provisions of the relevant Establishment laws of the Commission and the Bureau.

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The House letter to the governor in the letter signed by the Speaker, Martin Amaewhule on Monday reads

“This law does not grant the Governor any power to appoint anyone howsoever as Chairman or Member of the Commission even on an acting capacity,” the letter partly read.

The House said the appointment of Goodlife Ben as the Acting Chairman of the Rivers State Local Government Service Commission contravened Section 44(3) of the Rivers State Local Government Law No. 5 of 2018 which stipulated that “the Governor shall appoint the Chairman and Members of the Commission subject to the confirmation by a resolution of the House of Assembly”.

The House also said the appointment of Ine Briggs as the Acting Director-General of the Bureau for Public Procurement contravened Sections 5(1) of the Rivers State Public Procurement Law No. 4 of 2008 which said “there shall be for the Bureau, a Director-General who shall be appointed by the Governor on the recommendation of the Board after competitive selections”.

The Board is yet to be reconstituted in line with Section 4(a) which states that “the Chairman and Members shall be appointed by the Governor for a term of four years subject to the confirmation of the Rivers State House of Assembly” so, there could not have been a recommendation when there is no Board to warrant the invocation of the powers of the Governor ni Section 5(1) of the law”.

Also, the House said the appointment of “Tonte Davies as Acting Administrator of a non- existent New Cities Development Authority (NCDA) is not backed by any legislation and the Governor cannot on his own or by executive fiat create this Authority without a legislation from the Rivers State House of Assembly”.

According to the House, the appointments are in violation of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and other extant laws.

“We call on you to withdraw these appointments without further delay and please accept the assurances of our warm regards,” the letter concluded.