Rivers State Governor Sir Siminalayi Fubara has charged the newly sworn-in Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Dagogo Israel Iboroma, (SAN) to set up a panel of inquiry that will investigate the affairs of governance in the state.
Governor Fubara who gave the charge shortly after the new Attorney General was sworn-in at the Executive Council Chamber of Government House, Port Harcourt on Monday, said the decision is to put the records and activities of governance in the state to put it in proper order.
The governor said the choice of Dagogo Israel Iboroma as Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in the state at this critical time in the history of the state is to tap from his wealth of professional experience as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, (SAN) for the service of the state.
“Why are we bringing you at this critical time. We have a lot of issues around us. We believe that you are not going to be one that when they serve you with a matter, you will file a nolly or file something to kill us. Please defend us, because we know you are going to defend us. Your record is clean and you are a gentleman, peaceful and not a noisemaker. People like that are endowed and they have the fear of God.”
“There is also the major issue we are having. Since I assumed office, there is also a high number of garnishees, which I feel is deliberate. Please see what you can do to help us.”
Governor Fubara said the occasion marked the beginning of a new era in his administration as he has resolved to move forward.
While berating the former Attorney-General of the State, Prof Zacheaus Adangor, (SAN) for sabotaging the state and acting in most dishonorable way despite his averred claims of being a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Sir Fubara urged the new Attorney-General to defend the state strongly as there were legal battles (both economic and political) to contend with.
“I’m happy that you are already a SAN before coming here, it means that you must be a thorough man, it is not the type of SAN that sabotage government, who goes public to claim that you’re learned person, Chief law officer but went to appear before a magistrate court, going against the ethics of his profession.”
The governor noted that he had absorbed the barrage of abuses and insults hauled at him because he felt all the parties involved in the disagreement were of one family, necessitating a peaceful resolution of the matter, but there was no headway to the resolution.
“When I said I had a reason for being patient it is because I know that we’re from one family, and if there’s disagreement, no matter how bad it is, it should be resolved, but it has become clear that there is no headway to this disagreement. There is sabotage, deliberate attempt to sabotage this administration, for that reason we have to move forward and moving forward means taking decisions that is going to hurt any body.”
Sir Fubara also commented on the snipe making the rounds that he was a level fourteen officer in the civil service before he became the governor, stating that the statement was based on glaring ignorance.
“If in 2010, I was a Chief Accountant, where will I be before 2023. Because you want to impress your pay master, you talk carelessly. I won’t reduce my self to that type of talk, I’m the only Governor in the whole of the federation where local government chairmen abuse and I take it”
He further enjoined Rivers people not to allow themselves to be deceived and reaffirmed the commitment of his administration to dispense good governance in the state, stressing that as they claimed his choice was a mistake let them continue to make such mistakes while he served the people.
“But I wish them well, because even if it is a mistake by the special grace of God, I am here today. So, God doesn’t make a mistake. And let me also appeal to them to continue to make mistakes so that I can continue to be where I am, finish what I want to do for you people, leave with a good name, and my children and grandchildren will be proud of me. That is the mistake I want them to be making.”
