PORT HARCOURT, Nigeria — Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has appointed Dr. Dagogo S.A. Wokoma as Secretary to the State Government (SSG) and Barrister Sunny Ewule as Chief of Staff, in a fresh restructuring of his inner circle amid the state’s prolonged political crisis. The appointments were announced on Thursday in a statement signed by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Onwuka Nzeshi, and took effect immediately.
According to the statement, both men were scheduled to be sworn in at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday at the Executive Council Chamber, Government House, Port Harcourt, to begin official duties right away. Multiple Nigerian outlets carried the same details, confirming the timing and immediate effect of the appointments. The move follows the earlier removal of key aides, including former Chief of Staff Edison Ehie and former SSG Benibo Anabraba, as Fubara continues to recalibrate his administration after renewed tensions tied to the Rivers political standoff and the Abuja-brokered peace arrangement. Premium Times and other local reports described the reshuffle as part of the governor’s response to the latest phase of the power struggle that has roiled the oil-rich state.
The appointments are significant because both offices sit at the center of state coordination. The SSG manages the machinery of government and policy execution, while the Chief of Staff serves as the governor’s principal administrative gatekeeper and political aide. In the current Rivers climate, the choices signal Fubara’s effort to reassert control over governance while navigating a still-fragile truce within the state’s ruling political camp.
Although the governor’s statement did not spell out reasons for the latest personnel changes, the reshuffle is likely to be read as another important step in the continuing contest over authority in Rivers State. For now, attention will turn to whether the new appointments stabilize the government’s operations or deepen the already intense scrutiny surrounding Fubara’s next moves.
