24th April, 2024
By Taiwo Okanlawon
Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General of Rivers State, Professor Zacchaeus Adangor has rejected his redeployment as Commissioner for Special Duties following the cabinet reshuffle by the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara.
Zacchaeus also tendered his resignation from the state executive council amidst the ongoing crisis in Rivers State.
Zacchaeus had, on 14 December, resigned his position as the Attorney-General of the state following the face-off between Governor Sim Fubara and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike.
Zacchaeus and other commissioners who resigned due to the political crisis in the state, however, returned to the government after being reconfirmed by the state House of Assembly.
Fubara, earlier in the week, reshuffled his cabinet and redeployed Zacchaeus as the commissioner for Special Duties (Governor’s Office).
In a letter sighted by newsmen and addressed to the Secretary to the Rivers State government, Zacchaeus rejected his new office.
Zacchaeus, a strong ally of Wike, in his resignation letter, accused Governor Fubara of interfering with the performance of his duties as Attorney General of the state.
He wrote: “I want to state for the records that I am no longer willing to continue to serve in the administration of His Excellency, Sir. Siminalayi Fubara in any capacity whatsoever.
“It is important to mention that the Governor of Rivers State in the past couple of weeks willfully interfered with the performance of my duties as the Honourable Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice by directing me not to defend, oppose, or appear in suits instituted against the Attorney-General and the state government by individuals admittedly hired and sponsored by the government of rivers state.
“Having served the government and good people of Rivers State dutifully, as a member of the Rivers State executive council for five years, it has become imperative for me to quit the administration in order to preserve my reputation. I wish the administration of His Excellency well.”