By Nchetachi Chukwuajah
The Rivers State House of Assembly has rejected four out of the nine commissioner-nominees submitted to it by Governor Siminalayi Fubara for screening and confirmation.
The four nominees are Professor Datonye Alasia, Mrs Charity Deemua, Tamuno Williams, and Otonye Amachree, while those confirmed are Mr Tonye Bellgam, Professor Temple Nwofor, Dr Peters Nwagor, Mr Lekue Kenneth, and Sir Amairigha Edward Hart.
The nominees were screened during plenary on Monday, March 9, presided over by Speaker of the House, Martin Amaewhule.
The Assembly’s decision was disclosed by Amaewhule in his summation after listening to motions moved and seconded from his colleagues who either opposed or supported the nominations before the Assembly.
The Speaker said the nominees rejected were based on their poor performance during their screening and the controversies surrounding their documents.
He said, “Distinguished colleagues, we have nine nominees forwarded to this Assembly by the governor. At the end of the screening exercise, the House has confirmed five of them.
“And four of them, the House has chosen to take a deep breath, given their poor performance and controversies surrounding either their documents, and they have not been able to show this August assembly that they are indeed prepared to serve Rivers State, or that they are able.
“And we feel that they are not square pegs in square holes for the offices that they intend to occupy in the Rivers State Executive Council.
“On that note, distinguished colleagues, I thank you for your contributions. With your leave and in line with our rules, I will forward the resolution of this August assembly to the governor so that he can take necessary steps for the interest of Rivers State.”
The Speaker then put the question to the House to write a letter to the governor and thereafter adjourned plenary to Tuesday, March 17, 2026.
He added, “On that note, I’m going to forward a letter to the governor and ask him to swear in five of the nominees as soon as possible.”
Recall that Governor Fubara had, on March 5, 2026, forwarded a list of nine nominees to the lawmakers for screening and confirmation following the dissolution of the State Executive Council.
