It has emerged that the Rivers State governor, Sim Fubara has come under intense pressure to re-appoint the immediate past Chief of Staff, Emeka Woke and the former SSG, Tamunobaabo Wenike Danagogo into the same offices.
Fubara took over about eight days ago from Nyesom Wike. Barely 24 hours after his swearing-in, he re-appointed four of Wike’s commissioners and returned them to their former offices.
During the first few days of his stay in office, Fubara had promised to follow Wike’s footsteps and listen to his advice, as well as those from those popularly called elders of the ruling PDP in the state. It is now clear if Wike has been telling him to re-appoint the duo
When Fubara appointed his media aide, Boniface Onyedi, he deliberately refused to make it public, until the special adviser started issuing press statements on his behalf. Till date, no formal announcement has been made in that direction.
TNN learnt that the governor is being pressured to bring back Woke and Danagogo. But it was learnt that his Opobo kinsmen are resisting it. For example, they are said to have told the governor that an Ikwerre man could not be allowed to become chief of staff in a government led by an Opobo man.
When Rotimi Amaechi, an Ikwerre man was governor, it was Wike, an Ikwerre man that served in the office of chief of staff. When Wike took over from Amaechi, he brought Woke, an Ikwerre man, to the office and he was there till the end of Wike’s reign.
Fubara’s kinsmen’s argument, according to sources, is that it would be wrong and unfair for the Ikwerres to insist on serving as chief of staff again. The governor is said to be confused on how to deal with the situation.
TNN made efforts to speak with Onyedi but he rejected the call and did not revert thereafter.
