As the crisis in Rivers state festers, more cabinet resignations has hit the administration of governor Siminalayi Fubara, as three Commissioners on Wednesday resigned as members of the State Executive Council.
This is coming amid the heightened political tension in the state following the battle between the camps of the governor and his erswhile political leader and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike
Among those who announced their resignation from the state executive council on Wednesday are the Commissioner for Education, Professor Prince Chinedu Mmom
Professor Mmom in his resignation letter which was submitted to to office of Secretary to the State government described his relationship with the governor as “toxic” working environment
He stated that such an environment will make it impossible to achieve “my set targets for the Education sector in the State”
Shortly after the report of Mmom’s resignation, the Commissioner for Housing, Gift Worlu also tendered his resignation from Governor Sim Fubara’s government.
Worlu, in his resignation letter which was contained in a letter dated May 15 and directed to the governor, thanked Furaba for the privilege to serve in his government.
In the same vein, the Commissioner for Environment, Austen Ben-Chioma followed suit and announced his resignation from the cabinet.
In his letter of resignation, Ben-Chioma, who thanked the governor for the privilege to serve, attributed his decision to the lingering political crisis in the state.
He said, “I want to appreciate Your Excellency for giving me the opportunity to be a part of the State Executive Council. My decision to resign is due to the political crisis befalling our dear state and other personal reasons”
The gale of resignation of the commissioners, who are said to be former governor Wike’s loyalists and nominees to the executive council, it it was gathered has been traced to the misunderstanding between rFubara and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike.
Recall that the governor had earlier declared the 27 pro Wike lawmakers who defected from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), to the All Progressives Congress (APC) as being illegal, and has gone further to elect one his supporters as a factional speaker
