The Nigerian Senate has confirmed the appointments of chairmen and board members for four major agencies in Rivers State, following nominations forwarded by President Bola Tinubu. The confirmations came after the presentation of a screening report by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Emergency Rule in Rivers, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC-Ekiti), during plenary in Abuja.
Bamidele noted that all nominees were thoroughly screened and found to possess the qualifications and competence required for the roles. He also stated that no petitions were received against any of the nominees and that security checks revealed no negative records.
Among those confirmed are the chairmen and board members of the Rivers State Civil Service Commission, the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), the Local Government Service Commission, and the Rivers State Primary Health Care Management Board. The Senate also approved additional representatives for ministries including Health, Women Affairs, Justice, and Finance.
However, the confirmation process was not without controversy. Tensions rose during deliberations over the nomination of Dr. Michael Ekpai Odey as chairman of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission. Several senators, including Abdul Ningi (PDP-Bauchi), Ali Ndume (APC-Borno), and Abba Moro (PDP-Benue), voiced concerns over the fact that Dr. Odey hails from Cross River State—same as the current Sole Administrator of Rivers State.
Ningi argued that Rivers has a pool of capable indigenes who could have been considered for the position. Ndume added that while the Senate should respect executive nominations, it must also adhere strictly to constitutional provisions, stressing that such appointments should reflect federal character and local representation.
In response, Senate Chief Whip, Mohammed Monguno (APC-Borno), defended the nomination, stating that there is no constitutional violation in appointing someone from another state, provided the law does not explicitly bar it. Senator Bamidele also called for a calm, issue-based discussion, warning against politicizing the matter. He urged that disagreements with judicial interpretations should be addressed through proper legislative amendments, rather than what he described as “grandstanding.”
One nominee, Victoria Poma Samuel, was stood down for failing to appear before the screening committee. She had been nominated to represent the Ministry of Local Government Affairs on the Rivers Primary Health Care Management Board.
With the Senate’s approval, the appointments mark a significant step in the effort to restructure key institutions in Rivers State amid the ongoing political transition in the state’s leadership.
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