Rivers crisis: More commissioners resign Fubara’s cabinet

The stability of the already troubled young administration of Sir Siminalayi Fubara, Governor of Rivers State, has been further threatened by the mass resignation of members of the Executive Council.

As of Thursday night, at least five top Commissioners had tendered resignation letters to the state governor, indicating their interest in withdrawing their services from the government.

Their resignations – coming hours after the state’s Attorney-General (AG) and Commissioner for Justice Prof Zacchaeus Adangor quit his post – were contained in separate letters to Governor Fubara.

The latest to pull out of the cabinet are the Commissioner for Works, George-Kelly Alabo – who served in the same capacity under Nyesom Wike’s government – and the Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Commissioner Inime Aguma and their Finance counterpart, Isaac Kamalu.

Information has it that others like Chinedu Mmom- Education and some whose offices cannot be immediately verified also resigned Thursday night. They include Dr Jacob Nbina, Engr. Charles Amadi, Hon. Nwafor Uchechuku, Chima Aguma and Marshal Obuzor.

Some of them go thus; “I hereby resign my appointment as the Commissioner for Works, Rivers State, effective immediately. My decision to resign is anchored on my conscience, personal philosophy, and professional ethics”, said the Works Commissioner.

Alabo said, “This decision was taken after deep introspection. I appreciate Your Excellency for the opportunity to serve my beloved Rivers State as Commissioner for Works.”

On her part, the Commissioner for Social Welfare and Rehabilitation, like the Commissioner for Justice, cited “personal” reasons for her resignation from the cabinet and wished the current administration well.

“I hereby tender my resignation as the Honourable Commissioner for Social Welfare and Rehabilitation, Rivers State, on this day, 14th of December 2023,” she wrote.

“I thank Your Excellency for the privilege to serve in the State Executive Council. My decision to resign is personal and based on other pressing commitments. I wish Your Excellency a successful tenure and pray for best wishes in all your endeavours, she stated.

The Finance Commissioner, however, did not state why he was pulled out of the cabinet.

“I hereby inform you of my immediate resignation as Commissioner of Finance, Rivers State with effect from the date stated above,” he said in his letter. “I thank you for the opportunity granted me to serve our dear State under your administration.”

Their resignation cannot be unconnected with the ongoing war for controlling Rivers politics between the Minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike and Governor Fubara.

The resigning Commissioners have remained die-in-the-wool supporters of the Minister. They owe their political life to Wike, who forced them on Fubara. Also, a disciple of Wike before their current war ensued.

Besides, speculations are now rife that the commissioners are following the path of the 27 members of the state House of Assembly who only defected to the opposition All Progressives Congress, APC on Monday.

It is rumoured that the resignations are in preparation for the commissioner, in conjunction with their political godfather, Wike, to also defect to the APC shortly.

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