The Rivers State House of Assembly has written to Governor Siminalayi Fubara accusing of gross misconduct over some of his recent appointments.
In the letter personally signed by Martin Amaewhule, the Spe2 and sighted by our correspondent, the lawmakers accused Fubara of making three recent appointments of officers to head three parastatals without obeying the extant laws.
Fubara was directed to withdraw the appointments without further delay in the letter.
The Rivers House of Assembly cited relevant sections of the Constitution to back the accusation against Fubara in the letter.
According to the letter, Mr. Goodlife Ben was appointed Acting Chairman of Local Government Service Commission, Dr. Mrs Ine Briggs as Acting Director- General of Bureau for Public Procurement, and Mr. Tonte Davies as Acting Administrator of New Cities Development Authority without following the laws guiding such appointments.
“These appointments are in violation of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and and therefore constitute a gross misconduct and abuse of power on your part. We call on you to withdraw the appointments without further delay. Accept assurances of our warm regards”, Martin Amaewhule Speaker.
Recall that at plenary yesterday, Monday, Amaewhule had stated that the appointment of someone to act as the Administrator of New Cities Development Authority by Fubara, a body not known to any legislation in the state is condemnable.
Amaewhule further averred that the appointment of an acting Chairman of the Local Government Service Commission, and an Acting Director-General of the Bureau for Public Procurement are acts inconsistent with the provisions of the relevant Establishment laws of the Commission and the Bureau.
The Speaker wondered why Governor Fubara would deliberately act in violation of extant laws and the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as altered, knowing that such acts constitute misconduct.
When the Speaker put the question, the House voted in the affirmative and resolved to write to Governor Fubara to draw his attention to Section 44(3) of the Rivers State Local Government Law No. 5 of 2018 and Section 5(1) of the Rivers State Public Procurement Law No. 4 of 2008. The House expressed its displeasure in the appointments, which it viewed as an aberration and a violation of extant laws.
Political observers believe that allegations that are proven to constitute “gross misconduct” are tenable grounds for impeachment of a sitting Governor.
At the time of filing this report the neither the Governor or the Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice has reacted to the letter.
