PORT HARCOURT, NIGERIA — A tense moment unfolded during the screening of commissioner nominees at the Rivers State House of Assembly as Speaker Martin Amaewhule grilled one of the nominees, Mrs. Charity Deemua, over her failure to provide a valid tax clearance certificate, leading to a response that has since gone viral on social media .
The screening, which took place on Monday, saw nine nominees presented by Governor Siminalayi Fubara for consideration . However, when Deemua’s turn came, the Speaker pointed out that her tax clearance appeared to have been outdated since 2018 .
“I just wanted to know, so there’s no current tax clearance. Madam has not been paying tax since 2018. I just wanted to know if she’s been exempted from paying taxes. So let her tell us now,” Amaewhule said .
In her response, Deemua explained that she had not had a steady source of income in recent years. “Like I said before, I’m a politician, I don’t have work,” she stated .
When pressed further about her employment history, Deemua disclosed that she had previously served briefly as a commissioner in the Rivers State House of Assembly Service Commission and had also been a member of a local government caretaker committee for three months in November 2025 .
The Speaker quickly seized on this admission. “You were not paid salary? Were you not paid salary? In the caretaker committee, we were paid,” Deemua admitted. “You were paid? Yes. Is that not income? But you said you have not had any income from 2018 to date as a politician. So no tax clearance, and that’s what you are telling Rivers people. Madam, that is not nice. You are misleading the 10th Rivers State House of Assembly,” Amaewhule countered .
Although Deemua attempted to apologise and suggested she could rectify the issue, it was too late. Her nomination was subsequently rejected by the Assembly, alongside three others .
The exchange has sparked widespread reactions online, with many Nigerians questioning the mindset of public officials regarding tax obligations. One commentator remarked, “If politicians say they don’t work, what exactly are taxpayers paying for?” .
The Assembly confirmed five of the nine nominees, including Mr. Tonye Bellgam, Prof. Temple Nwofor, Dr. Peters Nwagor, Mr. Lekue Kenneth, and Sir Amairigha Edward-Hart .
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