Commissioners’ Resignations Logical if Loyalty is Lacking, Says Ex-Rivers State Information Commissioner Ibim Semenitari

Former Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Ibim Semenitari in an interview with ARISE NEWS on Friday, has said it is only logical for the five commissioners loyal to the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to resign from their office if they can’t pledge their loyalty to the new administration.

On Wednesday, five commissioners loyal to the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike resigned from Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s Cabinet.

The five commissioners include Jacobson Nbina, (Transport), Inime Aguma (Social Welfare and Rehabilitation), Gift Worlu (Housing), Prof Chinedu Mmom (Education) and Austen Ben-Chioma (Environment).

Recall that at the heat of the political crisis in the state last year, the same commissioners and others left Fubara’s cabinet, but returned after President Bola Tinubu tried to broker peace between the father and son, including their supporters.

“For the commissioners who resigned, it only makes sense that if you don’t agree with a man, you don’t work with him because you serve at the pleasure of your principal. If I appoint you commissioner, your loyalty should be to me because you serve at my pleasure.” The former commissioner said

 Semenitari on the status of the state with regards to security, affirmed the peacefulness of Rivers State regardless of the political tensions in recent times.

She said contrary to public opinion and projections by the media, Rivers State has maintained peace even in the midst of the ongoing crisis.

She also quoted data released by the National Bureau of statistics which revealed that the south-south and the south-east are the safest parts of the country.

“Rivers State is peaceful. The streets are peaceful and we are going about our business. Life doesn’t begin and end with a handful of people who have political powers. That certainly cannot define what is going on in Rivers State. The statistics that just came out from the National Bureau of statistics showed that in terms of safety, the south-south and the south-east are the safest parts of the country. Who would have thought, if we didn’t look at the data.”

The former Commissioner also lauded Governor Fubara for his achievements within one year in office. While outlining a few of the accomplishments, she noted that the governor is not one to blow his trumpets with his achievements but one who would prefer to see his accomplishment as a duty he owes the people of Rivers.

She further stated that according to the constitution, only one governor is allowed per tenure and in obedience to the constitution, Fubara must be allowed to govern without interference.

“Sometimes, you don’t want to sound like you are taking sides, yet it is important. There can only be one governor of a state at a time. It would be crazy if we had to have three governors. That is not what our constitution says, so, if there is one governor, let the governor govern. That would be the position of any right-thinking person. There is also one president at a time. You could have fantastic ideas as to what the president should do, but you are not the president.

“So, allow him to fail or do well. A situation where you want to treat someone with ignominy, I don’t think that is fair.  I can’t speak for the government but I can tell you a few things that I know have happened. Two or three weeks ago, three thousand, nine hundred and ninety something people received loans. Micro businesses, nano businesses, macro businesses and medium businesses. Fifty-two percent of that number were women, forty-eight were men. Also, a thousand doctors have been employed because there was a gap with regards, with more employment underway, that is another. Civil servants who had not been promoted in the last 10-12 years have been promoted, that is a plus.

“Local government staff who had not been promoted, some of them got promoted three steps further. Thirty-nine projects started by the last administration, have been paid for and completed with more payments underway. Unfortunately, you are dealing with a governor who probably just thinks, I should just do my job anyway because the reason you elected me is to do these things. But I guess the Nigerian thing is when a governor commissions a road, which is why we elected him, we will go and congratulate him. It is our right and not a favor and that is the perspective Governor Fubara appears to have because when you hear him speak, he said it is what we are supposed to be doing. The roads being commissioned in these twenty days of commissioning are roads this administration started and finished. The only road he didn’t start was the Emohua road which only twenty-three percent was paid for and he paid the remaining.”

Chioma Kalu.

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