PORT HARCOURT— The political crisis in Rivers State, yesterday, took another twist with the announcement by the Martins Amaewhule-led faction of the state House of Assembly that it would screen and confirm the nine commissioner-nominees who earlier resigned their offices to their former positions.
This is coming as the Supreme Court, yesterday, reserved its judgment on an appeal seeking to sack Governor Siminalayi Fubara of the state from office.
The appeal was brought before the apex court by Mr. Tonye Cole, candidate of All Progressives Congress, APC, in the March 18, 2023, governorship election. Fubara is of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
It was not clear if the invitation of the nine individuals by the state House of Assembly followed any nomination or recommendation by Governor Fubara.
But, the Clerk of the House of Assembly, Emeka Amadi, in a statement, had invited the nine persons, who willingly resigned their positions to appear before the House tomorrow for screening and confirmation as commissioners-designate.
Although, the Commissioner for Information and Communication in the state, Joseph Johnson, could not confirm if the invitation was following any nomination by the state governor, but it was gathered that the state government had earlier reached out to the former aides to indicate their interest to be commissioners in writing.
It will be recalled that the Abuja Presidential Proclamation by President Bola Tinubu on resolving the face-off between the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike and Governor Fubara, had ordered that all the commissioners, who resigned their offices should be restored.
While the state government was yet to make any statement on whether it had reached out to the former cabinet members after their resignation, the Assembly itself, through the Clerk has set time and date for the screening on the said nominees.
The clerk in the notice read: “The Rivers State House of Assembly hereby invites the following Commissioner-nominees for screening and confirmation as members of the Rivers State Executive Council, Zacchaeus Adangor SAN, ` Dr. Jacobson Mbina, and Dr. Gift Worlu.
“Others are: Mrs. Inime Chinwenwo- Aguma, Engr. Chukwuemeka Woke, Prof. Prince Chinedu Mmom, ` Dr. George-Kelly Alabo, Isaac Kamalu, Austin Chioma.”
The notice said the screening would take place at the chamber, Rivers State House of Assembly, Legislative Quarters, off PH/Aba Expressway, Port Harcourt at 10a.m., tomorrowday.
The clerk enjoined the nominees to appear with 40 sets of their curriculum vitae, photocopies of their credentials and its originals