Rivers crisis: Gov Fubara dissolves State Executive Council

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has dissolved the State Executive Council, directing all commissioners and special advisers to immediately hand over their responsibilities.

The directive, which takes effect immediately, instructs affected officials to transfer authority to the permanent secretaries or the most senior officers within their respective ministries.

The development was announced in a special government statement issued on Thursday by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Onwuka Nzeshi.

According to the statement, the governor expressed appreciation to the outgoing members of the executive council for their service to the state.

“His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, GSSRS, Governor of Rivers State, has dissolved the State Executive Council.

“His Excellency, the Governor, has therefore directed all Commissioners and Special Advisers to hand over to the Permanent Secretaries or the most Senior officers in their Ministries with immediate effect.

“His Excellency further expresses his deepest appreciation to the outgoing members of the Executive Council wishing them the best in their future endeavours,” the statement read.

The dissolution of the cabinet comes in the wake of the recent political settlement between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, following months of political tension that had polarised the state’s political structure.

The feud between both leaders had led to a prolonged power struggle within the state’s political system, resulting in the resignation and reappointment of lawmakers, parallel political alignments, and a split within the executive arm.

However, recent reconciliation efforts by President Bola Tinubu and other political actors reportedly led to a truce between the two camps, paving the way for a reconfiguration of the state’s political structure.

Political observers say the dissolution of the executive council is widely seen as part of the implementation of the peace deal, which is expected to produce a new cabinet reflecting the balance of interests agreed upon by both sides.

A new set of commissioners is expected to be announced in the coming days.