9 Pro-Wike Commissioners quit Fubara’s cabinet as one earlier took up FG appointment; INC warn Wike

The number of resignations in the Rivers State Executive Council has risen to nine after two more commissioners handed in their resignations following the departure of seven of their colleagues from Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s cabinet.

The 9 commissioners who have so far resigned included: Chukwuemeka Woke (Special Duties), Alabo George-Kelly (Works), Isaac Kamalu (Finance) Inime Chinwenwo Aguma (Social Welfare and Rehabilitation), Zaccheaus Adangor (Justice) and Chinedu Mmom (Education). Others are Jacobson Nbina (Transport) and Gift Worlu (Housing), Austin Ben-Chioma (Environment) and Commissioner for Bureau of public procurement in the state.

The latest to resign are the Commissioner for Special Projects, Emeka Woke and the Commissioner for Environment, Austen Ben-Chioma.

“My decision to resign at this time necessitated by pressing family demands for my time and attention as well as the desire to afford other deserving Rivers people the opportunity to serve you and the state in that capacity,” Woke’s letter read in part.

Ben-Chioma’s letter dated December 15, 2023 as the case with the rest of the cabinet members that have resigned. And like others, he said that his decision to resign was due to personal reasons.

One Commissioner, Henry Ogiri who was in charge of the Ministry of Power had before the new wave of resignations, left in November to take up a federal appointment as a Commissioner in the National Population Commission.

Some of those who resigned earlier include the state’s Attorney-General (AG) and Commissioner for Justice Prof Zacchaeus Adangor, Commissioner for Works George-Kelly Alabo, Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Commissioner Inime Aguma and Commissioner of Finance, Isaac Kamalu.

Others are Commissioner of Transportation, Dr Jacobson B. Nbina, State Commissioner for Education, Prof. Prince Chinedu, as well as the State Commissioner for Housing, Gift Worlu.

In what appeared to be a definite public statement since the face-off between him and his benefactor, Rivers State Governor, Mr. Siminalayi Fubara, on Friday, said he was preoccupied with delivering his mandate by attending to the needs of the people and protecting the interest of the State, even as no fewer than 10 members of the State Executive Council have resigned in the past 48 hours.

This came on the heels of two members of the House of Representatives leading a crowd of youths to stage a peaceful solidarity walk in Port Harcourt, in support of Fubara. Member representing Asari Toru/ Akuku Toru federal constituency, Boma Goodhead and member representing Andoni/Opobo/Nkoro federal constituency, Awaji Inombek Dagomie Abiante led the march.

The Ijaw social cultural body group under the aegis Ijaw National Congress (INC) on Friday, called on President Bola Tinubu to call Wike to order over the political crisis in Rivers State.

In the solidarity march which had hundreds of youth, Ijaw group and other stakeholders in the State, they chanted that Fubara was being intimidated and gagged for his alleged refusal to pander to the whims and caprices of his godfather, Wike. It commenced from the popular UTC junction and terminated at the Government House, Port Harcourt.

Speaking at the rally, Abiante (Andoni/Opobo/Nkoro federal Constituency) commended Fubara for taking steps to renovate the Rivers State House of Assembly complex and showing leadership amidst the political crisis in the State. Abiante, also assured the governor of the support of his constituents to provide development for the people of the State, saying, “There is always a price to be paid for liberty and that is standing strong, standing firm”.

Also, the INC on Friday, called on President Tinubu to call Wike to order over the political crisis in Rivers State.

The group made the call during a peaceful rally in support of Fubara in front of the Government House, Port Harcourt.

Speaking, the president of INC, Prof. Benjamin Okaba, warned that any further intimidation of the governor would be resisted.

Okaba, who regretted that the Ijaw people had been marginalised in the Tinubu’s administration, said “over 40 million Ijaw people are aggrieved and they are saying that a slap on Siminalayi Fubara is a slap on entire Ijaw nation.”

“Rivers State has been on the news for wrong reasons in recent times, but many believe that the intervention of President Bola Tinubu will calm, free nerves. We can no longer guarantee the safety of the oil installations in Ijaw land,” he warned.

Okaba who expressed the group’s position on the political situation in the oil rich state, said “We are not scared of Wike. In fact we have no business with Wike, we are only talking to Mr. President.

“Wike is from the South South, he knows what Ijaw people can do but we are advising Mr. President, at this time when this country is preaching and working very hard to have peace, justice and equity.

“Wike has dared Ijaw people, we are ready for him. Where we are now, if it amounts to killing all of us, we are ready to die. Ijaw nation is die for this Ijaw course.

“We want to tell Tinubu again, call your Minister to order. This monumental embarrassment Wike has caused to the nation and this act of dragging back development in Rivers State, is condemnable because we already angered with the fact that the government of Tinubu has marginalized Ijaw people.

“The Ijaws are the most economically viable in that state. We are noting all of this. But for him to keep quiet and allow Wike to misbehave shows that there is some tacit support. And we shall not take that.

“Since 1958, Nigeria has been surviving on the oil that comes from Ijaw land. Today, we are crying about marginalisation; we call it environmental degradation.

“We are noting all of these but for him to keep quiet and allow Wike to misbehave shows that there is some tactics support. And we shall not take that. We are already angered that the government of President Bola Tinubu has marginalised Ijaw people. In Delta State, where three persons were picked for a federal appointment, none are from the Ijaw nation.”