JUST IN: Wike’s loyalist rejects redeployment, resigns as Rivers commissioner

Akinwande Soji-Ojo

The Rivers State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Prof. Zaccaeus Adangor (SAN) has rejected his redeployment to the Ministry of Special Duties (Governor’s Office), and resigned his appointment.

Adangor’s resignation came barely 24 hours after the Governor Siminalayi Fubara redeployed him in a minor cabinet reshuffle.

Fubara, in a letter issued on Tuesday by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr Tammy Danagogo, redeployed Adangor alongside the Commissioner for Finance, Isaac Kamalu, who was moved to the Ministry of Employment Generation and Economic Empowerment.

Adangor and Kamalu, as well as seven other commissioners who had previously resigned from Fubara’s cabinet in the heat of the political crisis that rocked the state in 2023, are loyalists of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

Adangor’s resignation was contained in a letter he personally signed, dated April 24, and addressed to the SSG on Wednesday.

In the letter, titled, ‘Cabinet Reshufflement: Notice of Rejection of Deployment and Resignation from the Rivers State Executive Council,’ Adangor accused Fubara of willfully interfering with the performance of his duties as commissioner.

He said the governor had in the last few weeks directed him not to defend, oppose, or appear in suits instituted against his office and the Government of Rivers State by persons admittedly hired and sponsored by the Rivers State Government.

“My attention has been drawn to your letter dated April 23, 2024, and widely circulated on social media whereby I was “deployed to the Ministry of Special Duties (Governor’s Office).

“Further to the referenced letter, I hereby give you notice of my rejection of the said deployment and resignation from the Rivers State Executive Council with effect from the 24th day of April 2024.

“I wish to state for the record that I am no longer willing to continue to serve in the administration of His Excellency, Siminalayi Fubara, Governor of Rivers State, in any capacity whatsoever.

“It is important to mention that the Governor of Rivers State had in the past couple of weeks willfully interfered with the performance of my duties as the Honourable Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Rivers State, by directing me not to defend, oppose, or appear in suits instituted against the Honourable Attorney-General and the Government of Rivers State by persons 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 the past 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,” Adangor said.