Seven commissioners in total have now tendered their resignation as the crisis in Rivers state depends further.
The Rivers State Commissioner of Transportation, Dr Jacobson B. Nbina, State Commissioner for Education, Prof. Prince Chinedu, as well as the State Commissioner for Housing, Gift Worlu (PhD) are the latest to join the list of commissioners to tender their resignation letters, exiting the Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s led administration.
“I hereby resign my appointment as the Hon. Commissioner for Transport, Rivers State with effect from today, Thursday 14th December 2023,” Nbina stated in his resignation letter addressed to the governor.
“My decision to resign is personal and due to family commitments.
I sincerely thank Your Excellency for the opportunity granted me to serve in your administration as a member of the State Executive Council and wish you a successful tenure. Please accept the assurances of my esteemed regards.”
Similarly, Worlu in his reason for resignation cited “personal reasons that require my immediate attention.”
“As I move forward, I want to assure you of my continued support and dedication to the welfare and advancement of Rivers State. I am grateful for the opportunity you gave me to serve, and I extend my best wishes to you and the administration as you continue to steer the affairs of our beloved State.”
The state’s Attorney-General (AG) and Commissioner for Justice Prof Zacchaeus Adangor was the first to lead the wave of resignations,
His resignation has been allegedly linked to the lingering power tussle between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Mr Wike.
Mr Adango’s resignation came to light a day after the House of Assembly constituted by only four members loyal to Governor Fubara declared vacant the seats of the 27 defected lawmakers.
The Commissioner for Works George-Kelly Alabo – who served in the same capacity under Nyesom Wike’s government – and the Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Commissioner Inime Aguma and their Finance counterpart Isaac Kamalu would also follow suit.
“I hereby resign my appointment as the Commissioner for Works, Rivers State, effective immediately. My decision to resign is anchored on my conscience, personal philosophy, and professional ethics,” Alabo said in the letter addressed to the governor. “This decision was taken after deep introspection. I appreciate Your Excellency for the opportunity to serve my beloved Rivers State as Commissioner for Works.”
On her part, the Commissioner for Social Welfare and Rehabilitation cited “personal” reasons for her resignation from the cabinet and wished the current administration well.
“I hereby tender my resignation as the Honourable Commissioner for Social Welfare and Rehabilitation, Rivers State on this day 14th of December 2023,” she wrote. “I thank Your Excellency for the privilege to serve in the State Executive Council. My decision to resign is personal and based on other pressing commitments. I wish Your Excellency a successful tenure and pray for best wishes in all your endeavours.”
The Finance Commissioner, however, did not state why he pulled out of the cabinet.
“I hereby inform you of my immediate resignation as Commissioner of Finance, Rivers State with effect from the date stated above,” he said in his letter. “I thank you for the opportunity granted me to serve our dear State under your administration.”
In his resignation earlier in the day, Adangor said the move was based “purely on personal decision”.
The wave of resignation that has hit the Rivers cabinet is the latest twist in the political crisis rocking the oil-rich state since the rift between FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and Fubara started. There is already a division in the Rivers State House of Assembly as the 32-member lawmaking body now has two groups.
Earlier in the week, 27 of the lawmakers – originally from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) – defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC). But the leader of another group in the Assembly Edison Ehie declared their seats vacant in the wake of the defection.
Governor Fubara later demolished the Assembly complex, saying the structure which was gutted by fire two months ago was unfit. He thereafter presented the 2024 budget to the Ehie-led group at the Government House in Port Harcourt. A court had barred the Martins Amaewhule-led group who are perceived allies of Wike from using the assembly.
About two months ago, the Amaewhule-led group attempted to impeach Governor Fubara. But the move failed with lawmakers loyal to Fubara impeaching him and declaring Ehie as the new speaker.
While President Bola Tinubu had earlier waded into the crisis and met with Wike and Fubara in Abuja with Fubara saying the matter has been resolved, the fresh wave of resignation in the South-South State is another fresh plot in the impasse.
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