The Rivers State House of Assembly has confirmed five commissioner nominees submitted by the Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, while rejecting four others following a screening exercise conducted on Monday.
The screening took place at the Assembly Complex in Port Harcourt, where the nominees appeared before lawmakers to answer questions on their qualifications and readiness to serve in the state’s Executive Council.
At the end of the exercise, the Speaker of the House, Martin Amaewhule, announced that five of the nominees had been cleared by the lawmakers.
Those confirmed are Tonye Bellgam, Prof. Temple Nwofor, Dr. Peters Nwagor, Lekue Kenneth, and Sir Amairigha Edward Hart.
With their confirmation, the nominees are expected to be sworn in by Governor Fubara and assigned portfolios as members of the State Executive Council.
However, the Assembly declined to approve the nominations of Prof. Datonye Alasia, Mrs. Charity Deemua, Tamuno Williams, and Otonye TKD Amachree.
Lawmakers reportedly based their decision on issues discovered during the review of documents submitted by the affected nominees.
Assembly sources said the concerns included gaps in documentation and discrepancies identified during the verification process.
The screening followed the earlier submission of nine nominees by Governor Fubara as part of moves to fill vacant positions in the state cabinet.
Ahead of the exercise, the Assembly had directed the nominees to submit multiple copies of their curriculum vitae, academic credentials and tax clearance certificates to facilitate proper scrutiny.
Political watchers say the outcome of the screening highlights the Assembly’s strict approach to the confirmation process.
It is yet to be seen whether the governor will nominate replacements for those rejected or ask the affected nominees to address the issues raised by the lawmakers.
