President Tinubu’s nominees into boards of 4 Rivers agencies receives Senate approval

The Senate has confirmed the appointment of Chairmen and Board members of four Rivers agencies presented for confirmation by President Bola Tinubu.

Their confirmation followed the presentation of the report of screening of the nominees by the Committee on Emergency Rule in Rivers at plenary on Wednesday.

The report was presented by Chairman of the committee, Sen. Opeyemi Bamidele (APC-Ekiti).

Those confirmed for appointment for the Rivers Civil Service Commission were :
Dr. Barikor Livinus Baribuma , Chairman, while Amb. Lot Peter Egopija, Ms. Maeve Ere-Bestman , Mrs. Joy Obiaju,Mrs. Charity Lloyd Harry were confirmed as members.

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

For Rivers Local Government Service Commission, Mr. Israel Amadi was confirmed as Chairman, while Mr Linus Nwandem, Christabel George-Didia, Dr. Tonye D. Willie Pepple ,Mr Richard U. Ewoh, Rear Admiral Emmanuel Ofik (Rtd),Mr Sammy Apiafi were confirmed as members.

For Rivers Primary Health Care Management Board,Dr. Dawari George was confirmed as Chairman, while Dr. Chituru Adiele was confirmed as Executive Director,Prof.Kaladada Korubp,Dr. Benjamin Osarolaka Osaro,Mrs. Anne Obomanu,Prof. Grace Robinson Bassey,Dr. Mike Alagala and Mr. Sunday Asetubobe were confirmed as members.

Senate also confirmed the nomination of Mr. Dagogo Alabo to Represent the Ministry of Health,and Ms Carmelita Ekenyi Agborubere, Representative, Ministry of Women’s Affairs.

Others confirmed were, Mr James Ngochindo Epobari, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance Mr. Clifford Paul, Representative, ALGON in Rivers, Mr Luke Usang – Representative, Local Government Civil Service Commission and Mr Romeo Osima Isokariari, Representative, Ministry of Justice

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

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

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

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 the nominees.

He urged the Senate to approve the appointment of the nominees.

However, Senators Abdul Ningi (PDP-Bauchi),Ali Ndume(APC-Borno) and Abba Moro(PDP Benue), raised concerns over the nomination for chairman of RSIEC, who is an indigene of Cross- River, same state of origin with the Rivers Sole Administrator.

Ningi said there were many competent Rivers indigenes that could be nominated for the position of the chairman, while Ndume said the Senate should not be quick to approve anything, saying that the Senate should some times be guilded above 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 chairman was not against provision of the law.

Explaining further justification for the nomination and screening of the nominee, Bamidele advised that the matter should be politicised.

“It is also not a matter of which there should be any form of grandstanding, It is a constitutional matter.

” Now, this is why I’m saying there is no room for grandstanding, however, rather than grandstanding, 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.”