Fubara swears in five commissioners

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, on Wednesday, swore in five new commissioners, saying despite pockets of political distraction, his administration would continue to remain focused on ensuring the expectations of Rivers people are met.

He said this shortly after the swearing-in of five new commissioners and two special advisers, at the Executive Council Chamber of the Government House, Port Harcourt, on Wednesday.

The commissioners are Ilamu Arugu (Abua/Odual LGA); Dr Roland Obed-Whyte (Degema LGA); Austin Emeka Nnadozie (Etche LGA); Samuel Eyiba (Ahoada West LGA); and Samuel Anya (Abia State, representing non-indigenes).

The special advisers are Forgive Amachree (Ahoada-West LGA) and Mr Achor Nna (Obio-Akpor LGA).

The commissioners were screened and confirmed by the Victor Oko-Jumbo-led state House of Assembly on Tuesday.

The new set of commissioners was the fourth set to be screened and confirmed by the state House of Assembly, after some commissioners loyal to Fubara’s estranged godfather and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, resigned from the state executive council.

The political crisis in the state led to the faction of the assembly loyal to Fubara taking over the leadership of the legislature after 27 pro-Wike lawmakers fell out with the governor in October 2023.

While the Appeal Court had reinstated the pro-Wike lawmakers, the governor insisted they were no longer lawmakers in the state.

Speaking at the swearing-in of the new commissioners, the governor insisted that governance was about the provision of quality development of both infrastructure and appropriate social amenities that contributed to making living pleasurable and better for the people.

He, therefore, assured the people that his administration would remain focused with greater determination to deliver on its responsibility, to justify the support received from the over eight million Rivers people.

“We are into governance now, not politics. When we get to politics, we will talk about politics. But today, what we are doing here is welcoming you onboard, charging you to be good ambassadors, not just to this administration, but to your people.

“It is a call to duty, so work in a manner so that everybody will be happy. Governance is about making the people happy, and that is our aim.

“At the end of the day, Rivers people will not ask us the number of court judgments that we have or the protests that we did. They want to see results. Joining us today is to help us to have enough As on our report card.

“Let me at this point thank our team for the continuous support. We will continue to make the good people of Rivers State proud and show that their standing by us wasn’t a mistake,” he said.

The governor congratulated the new appointees, saying that despite that he knew some of them while others were recommended by their leaders, the charge to all of them was to ensure that they did not disappoint the confidence reposed in them.

He urged them to defend the state and the government at all times without involving in anything that would delay the course of governance.

“I want to say that, finding yourself here is an opportunity for you to defend the government, and also ensure that what these millions of people fought for about 11 and half months ago is not in vain.

“They stood for something, and today, because of that standing, we are still here, standing and conducting governance, even in the face of little distractions, here and there.

“Joining our team today is an opportunity for you to add value. We are not bringing you on board to criticise or engage in abusing people, because the only reason why the detractors are intensifying their shots is so that we will miss our target. Don’t give them room,” he advised.

He advised the Abia-born Anya, who he appointed as a representative of non-indigenes, to be open to accommodating all non-indigenes from the West, East, North, and the minorities with equal treatment.

“Don’t say because you are from the East, it is all about the East. Please, be a better representative, so that your people will be happy and this support that we are getting from the non-indigenes will increase. We need their support,” the governor added.