The commissioners were reported to be loyalists of Nyesom Wike, the former governor of the state and the present minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
According to The Punch, the commissioners were among the nine who previously resigned amid political tension in the state before President Bola Tinubu intervened.
The action came barely 24 hours after Fubara attacked his predecessor and estranged political godfather, Wike, alleging that the minister left a burden of debt for his administration.
Their resignations came two weeks after two commissioners, Professor Zacchaeus Adangor, attorney-general and Commissioner for Justice, and Hon. Isaac Kamalu, former commissioner for finance, resigned.
Adangor and Kamalu resigned from Fubara’s cabinet after the governor directed their redeployment to the ministry of special duties (governor’s office) and ministry of employment generation and empowerment.
Below is the list of the five commissioners:
The commissioner for education, Mmon, dumped the cabinet of the Rivers state government, citing toxic working conditions.
Mmon’s resignation letter, dated May 15, 2024, was addressed to Governor Fubara through the secretary to the state government (SSG). He said the reason for his resignation was because the workspace under the governor had become toxic.
The resignation letter reads in part:
The former commissioner for housing in Rivers state also resigned from Governor Fubara’s cabinet.
Worlu’s resignation was contained in a letter on Wednesday, May 15. He directed the letter to the governor through the office of the secretary to the state government.
Worlu said resigning was one of the toughest decisions he had made in life. He stated that his resignation was due to the toxic working environment in Governor Fubara’s administration.
He also cited the governor’s attempt to fuse the legislative arm with the executive as another reason for his decision to dump the government.
The commissioner for transportation also tendered his resignation from Governor Fubara’s cabinet on the same day as the others.
Nbina also addressed his resignation letter to the governor through the secretary to the state government, Tammy Danagogo.
The former commissioner for social welfare in the oil-rich state was also one of the loyalists to the FCT minister.
In her resignation letter, she cited the political crisis between the governor and his predecessor as the reason for her action.
The former Rivers state commissioner for environment was another and fifth member of Governor Fubara’s cabinet loyal to FCT minister Wike and tendered his resignation letter.
For the same reason as others, Ben-Chioma’s resignation came at the heat of the renewed political crisis in the state.
