Gov Fubara moves to probe Wike, others, set to inaugurate panel of inquiry on governance in Rivers

•Swears in new Attorney-General

Emmanuel Nlewedum, Port Harcourt

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has hinted of plans to set up a judicial panel of inquiry soon to investigate how the affairs of governance were conducted in the State before he assumed office.

Governor Fubara gave the hint while swearing in Mr Dagogo Israel Iboroma, SAN, as the new Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of the State at Government House in Port Harcourt on Monday.

The Governor said he was bringing the Attorney-General on board at a critical time that there were lots of legal matters, that needed to be tackled, with bravery and courage.

He said, “My brother Iboroma, you are the new Attorney-General. Why are we bringing you at this very critical time? We have a lot of issues around us. We believe that you are not going to be the one that when they send service to you, you go and file “nolle prosequi” or you go and file one thing that would kill us here.”

Governor Fubara further said: “Let me also say this, you have a big task. We will be setting up a judicial panel of inquiry to investigate the affairs of governance. So, brace up, I am not going back on it.

“Please, defend us. We know that you are going to defend us because your record is clean. You are a gentleman and peaceful. You are not a noise maker. People like you are endowed, and they have the fear of God.”

Governor Fubara reiterated that though he thought the political crisis he considered as problem within a family would have been resolved but regretted that there had been no headway out of it.

The Governor emphasised that though it was unfortunate, his administration has moved forward because there is now a well-constituted State House of Assembly to discharge legislative duties, and a seasoned lawyer appointed as the Attorney-General of the State.

“I am happy that this is happening today to mark the beginning of a new era in our administration.

“When I said that I had a reason for being patient, it is because I know that we are all from one family. And if we have a disagreement, no matter how bad it is, it should be resolved amicably.

“But it has become very clear that this disagreement, there is no way to resolve it amicably. And for a lot of reasons, there are visible evidence that there is sabotage, deliberate attempt to sabotage this administration.

“For that reason, we have to move forward. And, moving forward, if it means taking decisions that are going to hurt anybody, we are not going back on the protection of the interest of Rivers people.”

Governor Fubara took a swipe at the immediate past Attorney-General, Prof. Zaccheaus Adangor, who as the chief law officer of the State, indulged in sabotaging the same administration he served.

“It is good that you were already a SAN before your appointment. This means that you’re a very thorough lawyer and has earned your appointment. Not like the one we had here, who while in office, they went to pay money to get SAN. When you become a SAN, the only thing you will do is to sabotage the government.

“Instead of you to close your mouth, you go publicly to claim that you are a learned person. But go publicly to tell people that you were the Chief Law Officer.

“Chief Law Officer? You were here and you went to stand before a magistrate court. At that time, you didn’t remember that you were a Chief Law Officer, going against the ethics of your job. Like I said, you will get your reward, not in the next world, but in this world.”

The Governor also said that God does not make mistakes when He elevates any person to whatever level, and dismissed talks to that effect, claiming that it was a mistake that he became Governor.

.Rivers lawmakers who defected to APC no longer Assembly members –Falana

Femi Falana, human rights lawyer, says members of the Rivers state house of assembly who defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) have lost their seats.

Speaking in an interview with Channels Television on Sunday, Falana said lawmakers could not decamp and remain members of the legislative house.

The human rights lawyer argued that the decamped lawmakers would have to show that there was division in their previous party — the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“The 25 lawmakers who defected have lost their seats. They have lost their rights to remain members of the assembly. That is the law,” he said.

“In the case of Adetunde and the Labour Party, the supreme court made it clear that you cannot decamp and then remain a member of a legislative house in Nigeria unless you can show that there is division in your party. Today, the PDP is one,” he was quoted to have said in TheCable report.

The Rivers assembly has been engulfed in crisis since 2023, following the rift between Siminalayi Fubara, governor of the state, and Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT).

In December 2023, at least 25 lawmakers of the assembly who are loyal to Wike, defected from the PDP to APC.

The Rivers assembly has 32 seats. One of the lawmakers, Dinebari Loolo, died in September 2023.

In October 2023, Ehie Edison was elected speaker of the factional assembly after his removal as house leader by members led by Martin Amaewhule — amid the plot to impeach Fubara.

Edison later resigned as lawmaker to become chief of staff to the governor.

The lawmakers who are loyal to Wike are led by Amaewhule, the factional speaker.

Last Monday, Fubara said members of the house of assembly owe their existence to him.

Days later, Victor Jumbo, the lawmaker representing the Bonny constituency, was elected speaker by lawmakers loyal to Fubara.

Only three lawmakers are in the Jumbo-led faction, including the factional speaker.

Last Thursday, Amaewhule alleged that Fubara was planning to demolish the assembly quarters after a visit by the governor.

The assembly quarters serve as the hallowed chamber and official residence of lawmakers in the Amaewhule-led faction.