Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, signalled on Monday that he would probe the administration of his predecessor and immediate past Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike.
Hinted at plans to set up a judicial panel of inquiry soon to investigate how the affairs of governance were conducted in the state before he assumed office.
Governor Fubara gave the hint while swearing Mr Dagogo Israel Iboroma, SAN, as the new Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of the State at Government House in Port Harcourt.
He observed that the coming of the Attorney General was at a critical time because there were lots of legal matters that needed to be tackled with bravery and courage.
He said, “So, my brother, Dagogo Iboroma, you are going to be the brand new Attorney-General of our dear state. SSG, give him his letter; he is the Attorney-General.
“Why are we bringing you at this very critical time? We have a lot of issues around us. We believe that you are not going to be the one who, when they send service to you, goes and files “nolle prosequi,” or one thing that would kill us here.”
He added, “Let me also say this: you have a big task. We will be setting up a judicial panel of inquiry to investigate the affairs of governance. So, brace up; I am not going back on it.
“Please defend us. We know that you are going to defend us because your record is clean. You are a gentleman who is peaceful. You are not a noise-maker. People like you are endowed, and they have the fear of God.”
Governor Fubara reiterated that he thought the political crisis he considered a problem within a family would have been resolved but regretted that there had been no headway out of it.
The Governor emphasised that, though it was unfortunate, his administration has moved forward because there is now a well-constituted State House of Assembly to discharge legislative duties and a seasoned lawyer appointed as the Attorney-General of the State.
“I am happy that this is happening today to mark the beginning of a new era in our administration.
“When I said that I had a reason for being patient, it was because I knew that we were all from one family. And if we have a disagreement, no matter how bad it is, it should be resolved amicably.
“But it has become very clear that there is no way to resolve this disagreement amicably. And for a lot of reasons, there is visible evidence that there is sabotage—a deliberate attempt to sabotage this administration.
“For that reason, we have to move forward. And, moving forward, if it means taking decisions that are going to hurt anybody, we are not going back on the protection of the interests of the Rivers people.”
Governor Fubara criticised the former Attorney-General, Prof. Zaccheaus Adangor, whom he alleged, as the chief law officer of the state, indulged in sabotaging the same administration he served.
He told the new Attorney General, “It is good that you were already a SAN before your appointment. This means that you’re a very thorough lawyer and have earned your appointment. Not like the one we had here, who, while in office, went to pay money to get SAN. When you become a SAN, the only thing you will do is sabotage the government.
“Instead of you closing your mouth, you go publicly to claim that you are a learned person. But go publicly and tell people that you were the Chief Law Officer.
“Chief Law Officer? You were here, and you went to stand before a magistrate court. At that time, you didn’t remember that you were a Chief Law Officer, going against the ethics of your job. Like I said, you will get your reward, not in the next world, but in this world.”
The governor also said that God does not make mistakes when He elevates any person to whatever level and dismissed talks to that effect, claiming that it was a mistake that he became governor.
The new Commissioner for Justice was earlier on Monday screened and confirmed by the Rivers State House of Assembly by factional Speaker Rt. Hon. Victor Oko-Jumbo.
