Senate confirms non-indigene as Rivers election commission chair, Ndume, others kick

The Senate has confirmed the appointments of chairpersons and board members of four agencies of Rivers State, which were presented for confirmation by President Bola Tinubu.

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The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the confirmation followed the presentation of the report on screening by the Committee on Emergency Rule in Rivers at plenary in Abuja.

The Committee’s Chairperson, Opeyemi Bamidele (APC-Ekiti), presented the report on their screening and asked that they be confirmed.

Barikor Livinus Baribuma was confirmed as chairperson of the Rivers Civil Service Commission, while Lot Peter Egopija, Maeve Ere-Bestman, Joy Obiaju, and Charity Lloyd Harry were confirmed as members.

Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), Michael Ekpai Odey was confirmed as chairperson, while Lezaasi Lenee Torbira, Arthur Nwafor, Godfrey Woke Mbudiogha, Joyce Akaniwor, Olive A. Bruce, and Chidi Halliday were confirmed as members.

Also confirmed for Rivers Local Government Service Commission as chairperson was Israel Amadi, with Linus Nwandem, Christabel George-Didia, Tonye D. Willie Pepple, Richard U. Ewoh, Emmanuel Ofik, and Sammy Apiafi were confirmed as members.

For the Rivers Primary Health Care Management Board, Dawari George, chairperson, while Chituru Adiele was confirmed as executive director, with Kaladada Korubp, Benjamin Osarolaka Osaro, Anne Obomanu, Grace Robinson Bassey, Mike Alagala and Sunday Asetubobe confirmed as members.

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The Senate also confirmed the nominations of Dagogo Alabo to represent the Ministry of Health and Carmelita Ekenyi Agborubere to represent the Ministry of Women Affairs.

Others equally confirmed were James Ngochindo Epobari, permanent secretary, Ministry of Finance, Clifford Paul, representative of ALGON in Rivers, Luke Usang, representative of Local Government Civil Service Commission and Romeo Osima Isokariari for Ministry of Justice.

Earlier, while presenting the report of the committee’s screening on the nominees, Senator Bamidele said the nominees answered questions relevant to the areas of their appointments to the committee’s satisfaction.

He said that one nominee for the appointment as a member of the Rivers Primary Health Care Board, Victoria Poma Samuel, representing the Ministry of Local Government Affairs as an ex-official, was stood down because she was not present for the screening.

Mr Bamidele said all the nominees screened satisfied the requirements for appointment to occupy the offices of the chairpersons and members of the boards and agencies in Rivers.

He said there was no petition against the nomination of any of the nominees, saying that security checks on the nominees did not reveal any negative traits against them.

He urged the Senate to approve their appointments.

Dissenting voices

However, Abdul Ningi (PDP-Bauchi), Ali Ndume (APC-Borno), and Abba Moro (PDP-Benue) raised concerns over the nomination for the chairperson of RSIEC, who is an indigene of Cross River, the same state as the Rivers sole administrator.

READ ALSO: UPDATED: Senate passes Rivers emergency rule N1.48trn budget

Mr Ningi said there were many competent Rivers indigenes who could have been nominated for that position.

Mr Ndume, for his part, said the Senate should not be quick to approve anything, and that it should sometimes be guided by the dictates of the constitution.

The Chief Whip of Senate, Mohammed Monguno (APC-Borno), said the constitution remained the ground norm of the land, nothing that the nominee for the RSIEC chairperson was not against provision of the law.

Explaining further justification for the nomination and screening of the nominee, Senator Bamidele advised that the matter should not be politicised.

“I’m saying there is no room for grandstanding. However, rather than grandstand, if we as a parliament disagree with the court on this, what is expected of us is to bring the bill and legislate it into action.”

(NAN)