• Deputy gov denies resignation rumour as state CJ allegedly plans to embark on one year leave
• Rivers Assembly condemns governor’s appointments
The Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) has announced that fresh local council elections will be held in the state on August 9, 2025.
RSIEC Chairman, Justice Adolphus Enebeli (rtd), announced the new date at an enlarged stakeholders meeting at the commission’s headquarters in Port Harcourt yesterday.
The rescheduling of council elections followed last Friday’s Supreme Court judgment which nullified the October 5 local council elections that were held in the state on grounds of non-compliance to stipulated regulations.
Justice Enebeli also unveiled the guidelines for the rescheduled elections to stakeholders at the meeting. He stated that political parties that will be eligible to field candidates in the election must complete and submit an expression of interest form to participate on or before Monday, April 4, 2025, while the political parties are expected to conclude their primaries between April 21 and May 12, 2025.
The RSIEC Chairman also disclosed that campaigns for the elections shall commence on July 7, 2025, and end on August 7, 2025. Justice Enebeli said that no nomination of a candidate shall be valid unless the sum of N5,000 is paid for the position of councillors, and N10,000 for chairmen and vice chairmanship positions.
MEANWHILE, the Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Prof. Ngozi Nma Odu, has debunked online reports stating that she has resigned, adding that she has no intention of doing so.
A statement signed by the Head of the Press office of the Deputy Governor’s Office, Owupele Benebo, described the report as false and misleading.
The statement said contrary to the baseless claims, Prof. Odu remains committed to her duties as Deputy Governor, a position she was duly elected to serve alongside Governor Siminalayi Fubara. There are also rumours that the Chief Judge of the State, Justice Simeon Chibuzo Amadi, has announced plans to proceed on a one-year leave for recess amid the ongoing political crisis in the state.
Reports have it that in the absence of a chief judge, only the governor has the constitutional power to appoint an Acting Chief Judge, a situation which may further stall any moves to impeach the governor. Contacted, the Commissioner for Information, Joseph Johnson, said he is yet to confirm the report. He urged the media to be careful, stating that a lot of false information is flying on social media.
HOWEVER, the Rivers State House of Assembly has condemned Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s administration for making what they described as “illegal” appointments to various offices without required screening and confirmation.
The Assembly’s resolutions, adopted yesterday, March 5, 2025, at the 131 Legislative Day of the Second Session, highlighted several infractions of the Constitution and extant laws.
According to the Speaker, Martin Chike Amaewhule, the governor’s actions are a threat to the state’s democracy.
Amaewhule in another letter to the Governor, demanded the sack of all 19 commissioners and political appointees who were not screened by him and a fresh list of nominees be forwarded to the Assembly for proper screening.
The letter, which was addressed to the Governor on Wednesday and signed by Amaewhule specifically frowned at the inability of the Governor to forward the name of Dagogo Iboroma for screening as Attorney general and Commissioner of Justice in the state, stating that such appointment contravenes section 192 (2) and (5) as well as section 195 (1) of the 1999 constitution as amended.
The letter however requested that the Governor should submit a list of nominees for appointment as commissioners into the Rivers state executive council as well as list of nominees for appointments to fill vacancies in all the offices within 48 hours.r said, “your attention should once again be drawn to your illegal appointments of persons to serve in various offices without forwarding their names for screening and confirmation as required by the 1999 constitution as amended and other extant laws”.
