Several months after the feuding parties in the political crisis that rocked Rivers State reached a truce and publicly declared a ceasefire, the machinery of the state government remains skeletal.

Governor Siminalayi Fubara has been running the state with only five commissioners who were screened and cleared by the state House of Assembly on March 9, 2026.

Recall that of the nine commissioner-nominees sent to the Martin Amaewhule-led House by the governor, four were rejected, including a professor and a lawyer, on the grounds of alleged non-performance and petitions against one of the nominees.

While those cleared were sworn in and assigned portfolios as members of the State Executive Council by the governor, several ministries remain without substantive political heads, including Health, Justice/Attorney-General, Environment, Sports, Works, and Information and Communications.

The situation has raised concerns that there is currently no official spokesman for the Rivers State Government and no Attorney-General of the state nearly five months after the dissolution of the cabinet.

These key ministries and others are being overseen by permanent secretaries, some of whom are serving in acting capacities, although the governor last week inaugurated 13 new permanent secretaries.

Recall that Fubara, on February 12, 2026, sacked all his commissioners and special advisers to pave the way for a new set of appointees in line with the terms of reconciliation reached with his political godfather and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

The dissolution paved the way for the new list of nine nominees the governor forwarded to the Assembly in March for screening and confirmation, though only five were approved.

However, with the presentation of the 2026 Appropriation Bill to the House by the governor on July 10, stakeholders in the state have raised concerns over budget defence and implementation, especially given the absence of commissioners in key ministries.

Commenting on the situation, the South-South Youths Initiative said the return of peace without functional governance remained an illusion.

The National President of SSYI, Saviour Imeabe, in a statement issued on Wednesday, welcomed the declaration of peace by the parties but said continued governance with only five commissioners was unacceptable.

Imeabe wondered how five commissioners would supervise ministries, departments and agencies of government, drive policies and implement programmes across the 23 local government areas of the oil-rich state.

He said, “The South-South Youths Initiative has watched with keen interest the recent declarations by all political parties and stakeholders that there is peace in Rivers State.

“While we welcome this claim and pray that it is genuine and lasting, we are concerned that governance in the state is still being run with only five commissioners.

“Peace that does not translate into functional government is peace in name only. Who will implement the 2026 Budget? With the budget process underway, it is unrealistic to expect five commissioners to supervise MDAs, drive policy and ensure effective implementation across 23 LGAs.

“A full cabinet is required for accountability, sectoral oversight and timely delivery of projects to the people.”

Imeabe further urged the state House of Assembly to immediately screen and approve commissioner-nominees already submitted by the governor.

According to him, “Delaying the confirmation process while claiming peace sends mixed signals to Rivers people and investors.

“Critical sectors like Health, Education, Works, Agriculture, Youth and Women Affairs need political leadership and direction. Relying on a skeletal cabinet puts unnecessary burden on the governor and civil servants and slows down service delivery.

“We therefore call on the Rivers State House of Assembly to immediately commence the screening and confirmation of commissioner-nominees in the interest of good governance. All political stakeholders must match their declaration of peace with actions that strengthen institutions and deepen democracy.”

He, however, urged Fubara to remain committed to inclusive governance that prioritises the interests of Rivers people.

“Let us not celebrate peace on the pages of newspapers while governance suffers in practice. A full cabinet is not a luxury. It is a constitutional and administrative necessity,” the SSYI president stated.

Similarly, the Civil Liberties Organisation expressed concern over what it described as a skeletal cabinet despite the resolution of the political crisis in the state.

The spokesman of the CLO, Rivers State branch, Emmanuel Obe, said the continued running of the state with only a handful of commissioners was no longer tenable, given that the failure to constitute a full cabinet was initially linked to the political crisis.

Obe said the absence of heads of key ministries raised concerns about policy formulation, coordination and effective service delivery in critical sectors.

He said, “The Civil Liberties Organisation, Rivers State Branch, is concerned about the continued skeletal composition of the Rivers State Executive Council despite the resolution of the political crisis that had previously affected governance in the state.

“While it was understandable that the crisis disrupted the appointment of commissioners, that justification no longer holds.

“The governor himself has publicly stated that he has returned to his political family, while the executive and legislative arms now appear to be working harmoniously.

“There is therefore no apparent reason for the delay in filling the vacant positions in the State Executive Council.

“The council is the highest policy-making body of the state government. With only a handful of commissioners currently in office, several key ministries, including Information and Communications, Justice, Health, Agriculture, Environment and Works, remain without substantive political leadership.

“This raises legitimate concerns about policy formulation, coordination and effective service delivery in these critical sectors.”

He added that the concern was heightened by the fact that the state House of Assembly was considering the 2026 Appropriation Bill.

“Conventionally, commissioners are expected to defend the budget proposals of their respective ministries before the legislature. Their absence does not strengthen the budget process or promote accountability.

“The CLO therefore calls on Governor Siminalayi Fubara to forward the names of commissioner-nominees to the Rivers State House of Assembly for screening and confirmation without further delay.

“Rivers State deserves a fully constituted executive council capable of providing effective leadership and driving the development agenda of the government.

“The political crisis has been resolved, and reconciliation has taken place. The focus should now shift completely to governance and the delivery of democratic dividends to the people of Rivers State,” he said.

On its part, the Rivers Peace Initiative hailed the reconciliation and emphasised that it should translate into improved governance and better living conditions for residents who suffered the effects of the political crisis.

The convener of the group, Obinna Ebogidi, said the reconstitution of a full cabinet would demonstrate the commitment of all parties to the peace process.

He said key ministries such as information and sports were too important to remain without commissioners for an extended period.

The statement read, “The resumption of legislative activities by the Rivers State House of Assembly and the improved working relationship between the executive and legislature are positive developments that every well-meaning Rivers person should welcome.

“However, reconciliation should not become an end in itself. The real test of reconciliation is whether it translates into more effective governance and better outcomes for the people.

“One area where this can be demonstrated is the timely reconstitution of the State Executive Council.

“Strategic ministries such as youth development, sports and information are too important to remain without substantive commissioners indefinitely.

“The governor should, in the interest of governance, forward fresh nominees to the House, while the Assembly should continue to discharge its constitutional responsibility with fairness, diligence and dispatch.”

Ebogidi said the group had consistently maintained that strong institutions, rather than political alliances, were what ultimately served the people.

He said, “As Rivers Peace Initiative, we expect that both arms of government will continue to build on the progress already made by ensuring that governance regains its full momentum.

“At the end of the day, what Rivers people desire is not merely political peace, but a government that is fully constituted, functional and focused on delivering tangible results.”