There appears to be a fresh tension in Rivers State after members of the State House of Assembly openly questioned Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s delay in forwarding a new list of commissioner nominees.
The lawmakers, who raised the issue during their Friday sitting, said the absence of substantive commissioners is slowing down the state’s governance structure and creating unnecessary uncertainty.
The Assembly noted that the governor has yet to make any formal submission since the legislative arm resumed normal activities following the suspension of emergency rule in September 2025.
During that earlier sitting, the House had appealed to the governor to urgently transmit a list of nominees to enable ministries function effectively.
However, months after that call, the situation remains unchanged.
The political atmosphere grew more complicated when Governor Fubara relieved several commissioners of their duties, arguing that they were appointed during the height of the crisis and were never screened by the Assembly recognized by the Supreme Court.
Only those who had undergone proper legislative confirmation before the conflict were allowed to stay, with some reassigned to new portfolios.
As a result, many ministries across the state are now being run by permanent secretaries in an acting capacity.
Key sectors such as Education, Information and Communications, and others still lack confirmed commissioners, leaving policy direction and administrative oversight in the hands of career civil servants rather than political appointees.
The lawmakers expressed concern that essential government programmes could stall if the situation continues.
They insisted that the governor’s prolonged silence on the matter is worrying, especially at a time when Rivers State is trying to stabilise after months of political turmoil.
So far, the governor has not issued any explanation for the delay, nor has he hinted at when the nominee list will be ready.
For now, all eyes remain on Governor Fubara, as residents and political actors await his next move.
