Rivers lawmakers confirm nine Wike loyalists as commissioners

In the final quarter of 2023, nine former commissioners who had left Governor Siminalayi Fubara's cabinet were vetted and confirmed by the Rivers State House of Assembly.

Following a brief self-introduction, the commissioner nominees who met with lawmakers led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule on Wednesday at the Assembly quarters along Aba Road, the state capital of Port Harcourt, were given the all-clear.

This came about as a result of a motion made by Major Jack, the House Leader, who claimed that since the nominees had already undergone screening, there was no need to do so again and begged his colleagues' pardon to let them "take a bow and go."

The Speaker gave Emeka Amadi, the Clerk of the House, instructions to forward the names of the commissioners’ designate to the governor for action.
Amaewhule revealed that Fubara had sent a letter to the House asking for the nine nominees to be screened.

The nominee commissioners, Dr. Jacobson Nbina, Dr. Gift Worlu, Mrs. Ineme Aguma, Chukwuemeka Woke, Prof. Chinedu Mmom, and Prof. Zacchaeus Adango, SAN, are all loyal to Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike.

Auten Ben-Chioma, Isaac Kamalu, and Dr. Des George-Kelly are among the others.

Before resigning in the midst of the state's political crisis, eight of Wike's supporters who had held Commissioner positions under the FCT Minister's administration in the state held their positions under the current Governor.

One of the agreements in the eight-point agenda that followed President Bola Tinibu's intervention in the political dispute between Wike and Fubara was the reappointment of the commissioners.