Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has declared that his administration intends to form a panel of investigation into the state’s governance.
Governor Fubara made this statement on Monday after swearing in Dagogo Iboroma as the state’s Attorney General, immediately after the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) was vetted and confirmed by the Victor Oko-Jumbo-led House of Assembly.
He indicated unequivocally that the state is in a dangerous condition, and it is clear that the political issue cannot be resolved.
“Why are we bringing you in at this very critical time? You have a big task. As it is today, in the local parlance, they say the jungle has matured. We will be setting a panel of inquiry to investigate the affairs of governance,” he said. “So brace up. I am not going back on it”.
The governor accused his opponents of deliberately sabotaging his administration while he was hoping that the issue in the state would be resolved amicably.
He vowed to make tough decisions moving forward no matter how hurtful they would seem.
Governor Fubara also responded to comments by former Attorney General Zacchaeus Adangor (SAN), and his counterpart in the Ministry of Works Alabo George-Kelly.
He accused the former Attorney General of sabotaging his administration by filing nolle prosequi against the interest of the state.
On the comment by George-Kelly, Governor Fubara maintained he would have been promoted beyond Level 14 in the civil service before his retirement.
He said he was already on Level 13 as a Chief Account Officer before 2023. According to him, even if it was a mistake, by the special grace of God he is here as a governor.
“Even if it is a mistake (his emergence as a governor), by the special grace of God, I am here today. Let me also appeal to them, let them continue to make mistakes,” Fubara said.
The move is the latest twist in the political crisis rocking the oil-rich state. The development has seen a deepening of the feud between Fubara and the state House of Assembly.
Last week, lawmakers loyal to the governor elected a new speaker. Fubara had also issued an executive order relocating the sitting venue of the Rivers State House of Assembly to the Government House, citing safety concerns.
The feud is due to the fallout between Fubara and his predecessor and current Minister of the FCT Nyesom Wike. President Bola Tinubu had waded into the crisis last year but the imbroglio appears to be far from over.