Fubara Appoints Ex-speaker Chief of Staff

•Says government not involved in dirty political fight

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

There were strong indications that the immediate past Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon Edison Ehie, has been appointed the new Chief of Staff to Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

Ehie had on December 29, 2023 sent a resignation letter to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), declaring his resignation as the Speaker and member of the state House of Assembly.

If this is true, Ehie who represented Ahoada-East Constituency II in the State House of Assembly, would replace Hon. Chidi Amadi, a kinsman to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, who was hitherto the chief of staff.

As at the time of filing this report, the Commissioner for Information, Joe Johnson and the Senior Adviser to the Governor on Media, Boniface Onyedi, were yet to confirm the development

Meanwhile, Fubara has said his administration would not be involved in any dirty political war that would hinder the promising prospects of development in the state.

He declared that the decisions taken by  his administration in the evolving political crisis in the state were not borne out of fear, but for peace to reign in the state.

Fubara made the assertion, while addressing Rivers people at the maiden state banquet held at Government House, Port Harcourt, to celebrate the new year.

Wishing Rivers people a fruitful and prosperous 2024,Fubara appealed to Rivers people to embrace the ongoing peace process at the instance of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on the state political crisis.

“Every decision that we’ve taken is not borne out of fear but because we have the interest of our people and we have respect for elders.

“I am appealing to everyone of us to embrace the peace. We need this peace because our intention for the state is not for our personal interest but that of the development of the state,” he said.

The governor disclosed that his administration was determined to live a legacy of unity and development in Rivers State, and not a legacy of political apprehension.

In his welcome address, the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Tammy Wenike Danagogo expressed gratitude to God that despite the political turbulence in the state, Fubara remained focused to dispense the dividends of democracy in the state.