On Monday, the Rivers State House of Assembly conducted a rigorous screening of nine commissioner nominees presented by Governor Siminalayi Fubara, ultimately confirming five and rejecting four following an intense debate in Port Harcourt.
The exercise, which involved detailed questioning of credentials and tax compliance, saw candidates appear individually to defend their qualifications.
Among those rejected was Professor Datonye Alasia, whose confirmation was blocked due to discrepancies in his birth certificate and the absence of a tax clearance certificate.
Alasia explained that “the mutilation on the birth certificate may have come from the doctor who signed it at the time,” and apologized for the missing tax documents, saying, “I sincerely apologise for not attaching the tax clearance certificate before handing over the documents to the Sergeant-at-Arms.”
Despite Alasia noting his contributions as a nephrologist who has “trained many consultants and doctors in the university,” the House voted against him after Honourable Peter Abbey moved that he “should not be confirmed” based on his unsatisfactory responses.
The screening for Mrs. Charity Deemua turned particularly tense when lawmakers discovered conflicting birth dates and missing tax papers.
When asked about her professional background, she stated, “I’m a politician, I don’t have work,” leading the Speaker to pointedly ask, “So politicians don’t pay tax?”
She was subsequently rejected. Lawyer Tamuno Williams also failed to secure confirmation after being grilled on past remarks about the Assembly.
Although Williams argued, “First of all, I can never talk down on this House. My comments were based on legal jurisprudence,” the lawmakers remained unconvinced. The final rejected nominee was senior lawyer Otonye Amachree, who faced scrutiny over legal disputes and public petitions.
In contrast, the Assembly gave its approval to five nominees who demonstrated professional readiness and fiscal awareness.
Professor Temple Nwofor was confirmed after asserting his commitment to the state budget, stating, “I don’t think I will involve myself in any project that is not contained in the budget.”
Other successful candidates included project management expert Tonye Bellgam, mathematician Dr. Peters Nwagor, chartered accountant Lekue Kenneth, and private sector executive Amairigha Edward Hart.
Following the session, the Speaker announced that the House would notify the Governor of the results, adding, “We will write to His Excellency to swear in the five confirmed nominees as soon as possible.”
