PORT HARCOURT, Rivers State, Nigeria — On Thursday, February 26, 2026, the Governor of Rivers State in southern Nigeria, Siminalayi Fubara, appointed a new Secretary to the State Government and a new Chief of Staff at the Government House in Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers State.
In an official statement released on Thursday, the governor announced the appointment of Dr Dagogo S. A. Wokoma as Secretary to the State Government and Barrister Sunny Ewule as Chief of Staff. The announcement was contained in a Special Government Announcement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Onwuka Nzeshi, and made available to journalists.
The statement confirmed that both appointments take immediate effect. It also stated that the new appointees will be sworn in at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 26, 2026, at the Executive Council Chamber of Government House, Port Harcourt. The ceremony is scheduled to take place at 2:00 p.m. West African Time (WAT, GMT+1).
The statement read, “The Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has appointed Dr Dagogo S.A. Wokoma as the Secretary to the State Government and Barrister Sunny Ewule as the Chief of Staff.
“Both appointments are with immediate effect. The new appointees will be sworn in at 2:00 p.m. today, Thursday, February 26, 2026.
“The swearing-in ceremony will take place at the Executive Council Chamber, Government House, Port Harcourt.”
No official explanation was provided for the removal of the former office holders. However, it was confirmed that Dr Wokoma replaces Mr Benibo Anabraba as Secretary to the State Government, while Mr Ewule takes over from Edison Ehie as Chief of Staff.
The changes come at a politically sensitive time in Rivers State. The position of Chief of Staff had been the subject of speculation following the intervention of Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in the political crisis that had unsettled the state in recent months.
The crisis involved tensions between Governor Fubara and his former political ally, Nyesom Wike, who currently serves as Nigeria’s Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, the administrative region that includes the nation’s capital, Abuja. The dispute led to impeachment proceedings initiated by the Rivers State House of Assembly, the state legislature, against Governor Fubara and his deputy, Professor Ngozi Odu.
Following the intervention of President Tinubu, the impeachment move was halted. The Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, later announced during plenary that the House had formally withdrawn the impeachment proceedings against the governor and his deputy.
Okay News reports that the latest appointments are widely viewed as part of the political realignments that followed the reconciliation between Governor Fubara and Minister Wike. The reconciliation was reportedly brokered after the President stepped in to ease tensions and prevent further instability in the oil rich state, which plays a significant role in Nigeria’s economy.
In addition to the new appointments, Governor Fubara recently dissolved his cabinet of eight commissioners and relieved all Special Advisers of their duties, signalling a broader restructuring of his administration.
The new Secretary to the State Government and Chief of Staff are expected to assume their responsibilities immediately after their swearing in. Their appointments are seen as crucial to stabilising the administration and restoring confidence in the state’s governance following months of political uncertainty.
