- Safiu Kehinde
The Rivers State House of Assembly has rejected four out of the nine commissioner nominees presented by Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
NPO Reported that Fubara had last week written to the Assembly for the approval of the nominees appointment.
The lawmakers had in response requested the nominees to provide 40 copies of their Curriculum Vitae, credential photocopies, and tax compliance evidence ahead of the process.
Appearing before the legislative chamber on Monday for their screening, the nominees were reportedly called one after the other to defend their credentials and respond to questions from lawmakers.
Kickstarting the screening was Professor Datonye Alasia, a medical doctor and professor of medicine.
Lawmakers raised questions over discrepancies on his birth certificate and the absence of a tax clearance certificate.
“The mutilation on the birth certificate may have come from the doctor who signed it at the time,” Alasia explained.
He apologised over the missing tax clearance certificate.
“I sincerely apologise for not attaching the tax clearance certificate before handing over the documents to the Sergeant-at-Arms.” Alasia said.
However, the lawmakers questioned his contributions to the state despite his international engagements.
“As a nephrologist, I have trained many consultants and doctors in the university. That is part of my contribution to Rivers State.” He said.
This however sounded unsatisfactory to the lawmakers as Peter Abbey of Degema constituency moved the motion for his rejection.
“Based on his responses here today, I move that Professor Datonye Alasia should not be confirmed,” he said.
The motion was seconded, and the House voted against his confirmation.
Appearing next before the lawmakers was Tonye Bellgam, a master’s degree holder in Project Management with extensive oil and gas experience.
He was confirmed after lawmakers reviewed his professional background.
For Prof. Temple Nwofor, a civil engineering professor from Igwuruta in Ikwerre LGA, the lawmakers questioned him about governance and fiscal discipline.
On being asked whether he would implement projects not in the state budget, he replied: “I don’t think I will involve myself in any project that is not contained in the budget.”
The response reportedly earned him confirmation by the chamber.
Peters Nwagor, a mathematician and Associate Dean at Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, was also confirmed after presenting his academic and administrative experience.
Meanwhile, the screening turned tense during Mrs Charity Deemua’s appearance, a former member of the Rivers State House of Assembly Service Commission.
Upon her introduction, the lawmakers questioned conflicting birth dates and missing tax clearance documents.
When asked about her work experience, she responded: “I’m a politician, I don’t have work.”
In reaction, the Rivers Assembly Speaker, Martin Amaewhule, quipped her over response and inability to present his tax clearance documents.
“So politicians don’t pay tax?” The Speaker asked before she was ultimately rejected by the lawmakers.
In the same vein, Tamuno Williams, a lawyer from Okrika and former local government chairman, was questioned over alleged past criticisms of the Assembly.
Williams, in defence of himself, claimed his comments were based on legal jurisprudence as he held that he can never talk down on the Assembly.
However, the House voted against his confirmation.
Another nominee, Otonye Amarachee, was heavily scrutinised by the lawmakers over petitions and his prior involvement in a Kalabari regency legal dispute.
The Senior lawyer and lecturer was equally rejected by the Assembly despite addressing the concern.
Meanwhile, Chartered accountant Lekue Kenneth, senior project accountant on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project, was confirmed after presenting his financial management experience.
In the same vein, Amairigha Edward Hart, a private sector executive, was also confirmed.
At the end of the screening, the Assembly confirmed five nominees — Tonye Bellgam, Professor Temple Nwofor, Dr Peters Nwagor, Lekue Kenneth, and Amairigha Edward Hart.
The rejected nominees include Professor Datonye Alasia, Charity Deemua, Tamuno Williams, and Otonye Amachree.
The Speaker announced that the Assembly would formally communicate its decision to Governor Fubara.
“We will write to His Excellency to swear in the five confirmed nominees as soon as possible,” he said.