Four of the nine commissioner-nominees submitted by Governor Siminalayi Fubara for screening and confirmation have been rejected by the Rivers State House of Assembly on Monday. The lawmakers however confirmed five nominees as commissioners-designate following a screening exercise. The decision was announced during plenary presided over by the Speaker, Martin Amaewhule.
Amaewhule said, “At the end of the screening exercise, the House has confirmed five of them. And four of them, the House has chosen to take a deep breath, given their poor performance and controversies surrounding their documents.
“I’m going to forward a letter to the governor and ask him to swear in five of the nominees as soon as possible,” the Speaker said.
The lawmakers, however, rejected the nominations of: Prof Datonye Alasia, Tamuno Williams, Otonye T.K.D. Amachree, Charity Deemua.”
The Speaker added that the nominees failed to convince lawmakers they were capable of serving in the state executive council.
He said: “They have not been able to show this august assembly that they are prepared to serve Rivers State or that they are able.
“And we feel that they are not square pegs in square holes for the offices they intend to occupy in the Rivers State Executive Council.”
One of the rejected nominees, Charity Deemua, faced intense questioning over inconsistencies in her tax clearance.
Responding to questions from lawmakers, she said her tax records had not been updated since December 31, 2018, explaining that she was a politician without formal employment.
“As I said before, I’m a politician. We don’t have an office. I don’t have work. Mr Speaker, I think tax is generated from your income,” she said. Amaewhule challenged the explanation, asking whether politicians were exempt from paying taxes.
