The Rivers State House of Assembly on Monday turned down four of the nine individuals nominated by Siminalayi Fubara for screening and confirmation as commissioners in the state executive council.
During plenary, the lawmakers approved five nominees as commissioner-designates while rejecting the remaining four.
The Assembly cited issues including unsatisfactory performance, petitions, and controversies surrounding documents submitted by some of the nominees. Among those rejected was Datonye Dennis Alasia, the immediate past Chairman of the Medical Advisory Committee at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital.
The nominees confirmed by the Assembly are Tonye Belgam, Temple Nwofor, Peters Nwagor, Lekue Kenneth, and Amairigha Edward-Hart.
However, the Assembly declined to confirm Datonye Dennis Alasia, Charity Deemua, Tamuno Williams, and Otonye T.K.D. Amachree.
Lawmakers explained that Prof. Alasia’s rejection was based on what they described as “poor performance,” while Mrs. Deemua was not cleared after failing to provide her tax clearance documents.
Mr. Williams was accused by the Assembly of previously misleading the public concerning the activities of the legislature. Barrister Amachree’s nomination was also rejected following the submission of more than 11 petitions against him by members of communities within the Kalabari Kingdom, relating to his alleged involvement in community disputes.
The legislators stressed that the decisions were taken to maintain high standards of competence and integrity in appointments into the state executive council.
The Speaker of the House, Martin Amaewhule, announced that the names of the five cleared nominees would be forwarded to Governor Fubara for appointment as commissioners.
Following the deliberations, the Assembly adjourned plenary until March 17, 2026.
It would be recalled that Governor Fubara had earlier dissolved the state executive council on February 12, 2026, just three days after a reconciliation meeting convened in Abuja by Bola Ahmed Tinubu with Governor Fubara and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, alongside other stakeholders from the state.
