Rivers Crisis: Fubara’s Chief Of Staff, Chidi Amadi Finally Resigns

Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s Chief of Staff, Chidi Amadi, has resigned from his position.

The Commissioner for Information and Communications, Joseph Johnson, officially confirmed Amadi’s decision in a statement issued on Wednesday, January 10, 2024, stating that the governor will soon make a public announcement of a suitable replacement for Amadi.

Naija News understands that Amadi is a known loyalist to the immediate past Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, who now serves as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.

“The former Chief of Staff, Hon Chidi Amadi, has resigned. The governor will announce another Chief of Staff at the appropriate time.

“It is the prerogative of the governor to appoint when he wants it. He will tell us, and we will announce it, and you will also get the release to that effect,” Johnson told the PUNCH.

Amadi, who hails from Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State and is a kinsman of Wike, was unreachable when journalists made attempts to get comments from him as of the time of filing this report, Naija News understands.

Messages were reportedly sent to Amadi, including WhatsApp and text, but he did not reply to them as of Wednesday night.

With Amadi’s resignation, the number of Wike’s loyalists who have left Fubara’s administration since the political crisis between Fubara and his estranged political mentor, Wike, began, now stands at 10.

This development comes in the wake of calls for Fubara to appoint Edison Ehie, a former factional Speaker of the state House of Assembly, as Chief of Staff.

Appoint Ex-Factional Speaker Ehie, As Chief Of Staff – IYC Urges Fubara

Naija News reported earlier that the Ijaw Youth Council, Worldwide, has urged Governor Siminalayi Fubara to promptly designate Edison Ehie, the former factional Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, as his Chief of Staff.

This request arises amidst widespread speculations suggesting that Fubara has already chosen Ehie for the role of Chief of Staff.

Reports earlier are that Amadi has not yet tendered his resignation.

Naija News understands that Ehie, having resisted a scheme by 27 pro-Wike lawmakers to impeach Governor Fubara, resigned from the House of Assembly last Saturday.

While Ehie did not cite a particular reason for his resignation, Governor Fubara, addressing the matter on Monday, asserted that Ehie’s departure was a deliberate effort to foster peace and address the political turmoil in the state.

On Tuesday, there was growing speculation that Fubara had appointed Ehie as his Chief of Staff. However, attempts to verify this information proved futile, with the governor’s media aide, Boniface Onyedi, denying any knowledge of such a development.

But the Secretary of Ijaw Youth Council Worldwide, Maobuye Nangi-Obu, while addressing newsmen on Wednesday, urged Fubara to appoint Ehie as his Chief of Staff, saying he understood governance and the rule of law.