Rivers Assembly’s Rejection of Four Nominees Deepens Political Rift Between Fubara, Wike

The rejection of four commissioner nominees by the Rivers State House of Assembly has renewed scrutiny of the political rivalry between Governor Siminalayi Joseph Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, the current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.

Lawmakers screened nine nominees submitted by the governor during a four-hour session on Monday. Five were confirmed, while four were rejected.

Those cleared by the Assembly were Tonye Belgam, Prof. Temple Nwofor, Dr. Peters Nwagor, Mr. Lekue Kenneth and Sir Amairigha Edward Hart.

The Assembly declined to confirm Datonye Fred Alasia, Otonye T.K.D. Amachree, Charity Deemua and Tamuno Williams, a lawyer. Lawmakers cited reasons including community petitions, past performance concerns, tax documentation issues and public statements critical of the legislature.

The outcome has drawn criticism from some residents and political groups, who suggested that the decisions reflected the continuing political divide between Mr. Fubara and Mr. Wike.

The rift between the two men has shaped Rivers politics in recent months, splitting the state’s political establishment and contributing to tensions between the executive and the legislature.

Earlier this year, Nigeria’s president, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, mediated a reconciliation between the factions aligned with the governor and those loyal to Mr. Wike. The agreement led to the suspension of impeachment proceedings that had been initiated against Mr. Fubara and his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Nma Odu.

Still, the latest legislative action has prompted questions from some observers about whether political loyalties influenced the screening process.

Dr. Ephraim Goodhead, a Port Harcourt-based legal practitioner, said he believed lingering tensions from the earlier political dispute had influenced the lawmakers’ decision.

He argued that the legislature appeared to have carried forward animosities that emerged during the protracted political crisis between supporters of Mr. Wike and the governor.

Mrs. Joyce Kalu, an engineer and human rights advocate, said the screening process might have benefited from allowing the affected nominees to address the concerns raised during the exercise.

“If the legislators were transparent in their handling of the screening exercise, the affected nominees should have been given another chance to reconcile the differences on their submissions,” she said.

A socio-political group, the Rivers First Movement, also criticised the decision, describing it as inconsistent with democratic practice.

In a statement issued in Port Harcourt, the group’s director general, Mr. Maobuye Nangi Obu, said the rejection of the nominees raised concerns about the neutrality of the legislature.

He argued that the allegations cited by lawmakers — including claims of poor performance and incompetence — were difficult to reconcile with the professional backgrounds of the nominees.

The group accused lawmakers of acting on what it described as “primitive political calculations and ulterior motives,” adding that the decision could affect governance in the state.

Governor Fubara, however, struck a conciliatory tone during the swearing-in ceremony for the five confirmed commissioners.