By Ken Afor
Rivers State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Prof. Zacchaeus Adangor, has announced his immediate resignation from the state executive council.
This was disclosed in a letter dated April 24th, 2024 and circulated widely on social media.
The resignation comes barely 24 hours after Adangor revealed he had been redeployed against his will to the Ministry of Special Duties in Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s office.
TheNewDiplomat reports that Adangor and the Commissioner for Finance, Isaac Kamalu, who was deployed to the Ministry of Employment Generation and Economic Empowerment were the two members of the Rivers State executive council affected in Governor Fubara’s cabinet reshuffle.
Both commissioners are said to be close allies of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, the immediate past Governor of the state.
Meanwhile, in his six paragraph letter, Adangor stated he could no longer continue serving in Fubara’s administration “in any capacity whatsoever” after the governor “wilfully interfered with the performance of my duties” over the past couple weeks.
Adangor accused Fubara of directing him not to defend, oppose or appear in legal cases brought against the Attorney General’s office and the Rivers State government by individuals “admittedly hired and sponsored by the Government of Rivers State.”
The outgoing Attorney General, who had served for five years on the state executive council, said it had “become imperative” for him to quit in order to “preserve my reputation.”
Adangor, therefore wished Fubara’s administration well going forward.
The public split represents a major escalation in tensions between the governor and his former top legal authority. Governor Fubara’s office has not yet issued an official response to Adangor’s resignation as of press time.
Political analysts predict the fallout could have far-reaching implications for governance and the rule of law in Rivers State in the coming months.
The letter reads in full:
CABINET RESHUFFLEMENT: NOTICE OF REJECTION OF DEPLOYMENT AND RESIGNATION FROM THE RIVERS STATE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
1. My attention has been drawn to your letter dated 23rd April, 2024 and widely circulated on social media whereby I was “deployed to the Ministry of Special Duties (Governor’s Office).”
2. 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 24th day of April, 2024.
3. I wish to state for the record, that I am no longer willing to continue to serve in the administration of His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, GSSRS, Governor of Rivers State, in any capacity whatsoever.
4. It is important to mention that the Governor of Rivers State had in the past couple of weeks wilfully 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.
5. That having served the Government and good people of Rivers State dutifully as member of the Rivers State Executive Council for the past five (5) years, it has become imperative for me to quit the administration in order to preserve my reputation.
5. That having served the Government and good people of Rivers State dutifully as member of the Rivers State Executive Council for the past five (5) years, it has become imperative for me to quit the administration in order to preserve my reputation.
6. I wish the administration of His Excellency well.
Prof. Zacchaeus Adangor, SAN, DSSRS, MCIArb, kse
