Ex-Rivers LG chairmen threaten showdown with Fubara

Former Rivers LG chairmen threaten a showdown with Fubara over LG autonomy. Stay updated on this escalating political tension.

In the event that Governor Siminalayi Fubara fails to comply with the Supreme Court’s recent ruling banning caretaker committees from overseeing council affairs, ex-local government chairmen in Rivers State have issued a warning of resuming their previous positions.

On Friday, a group of past chairpersons who support Nyesom Wike, the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, issued a warning during their press conference in Port Harcourt.

Despite their patience in anticipation of Fubara’s compliance with the court ruling, Dr. Chidi Lloyd, former chairman of Emohua LGA revealed that he has persistently collaborated with Caretaker Committee members across all 23 LG councils within the state.

According to Dr. Lloyd, the activities of Fubara’s CTC chairmen could potentially result in a disturbance of peace within the state and he appealed to the national police authority to intervene and halt their actions.

He declared that the main objective of this conference is to assert our lack of cowardice and should things persist, we will push ourselves into council through our respective local governments.

Due to the leadership traits of our current governor who consistently advocates for peace, we have maintained a hushed stance. It is worth noting that despite his local government polling less than 5000 votes during his tenure as Governorship candidate, we are still the same group responsible for electing him into office.

Should this situation persist, it will only worsen the already aggravated state of affairs. We refuse to be labeled as cowards and are urgently appealing for swift action from law enforcement. The State House of Assembly has corresponded with the Inspector General of Police regarding this matter and passed resolutions on police intervention during sessions held in the House. It baffles us why authorities within Rivers have been unresponsive while claiming that protocol is being followed accordingly.

Furthermore, the recent former chairman of Ahoada West LGA, Hope Ikriko, expressed that the governor’s legal authority to uphold law and order had not been fulfilled.

Ikiro stated that it’s not their own agitation, rather the people who are agitated. The individuals call them every day to be their voice as they lack one. This is why they urge the government to act promptly.

It appears that the governor is not prioritizing peace, as they are actively confiscating properties belonging to those deemed enemies. Although we do not feel intimidated by these actions, it would be better for them to focus on maintaining order in the state. In response to their property seizures, we may choose to investigate their own properties located in old GRA.

The former Chairman of Port Harcourt City Local Government and immediate past Chairman of ALGON in the state, Allwell Ihunda, stated that his motive for holding a briefing was to bring President Bola Tinubu’s attention, as well as those of the National Assembly, judiciary system security agencies and Rivers people towards what he referred to as “blatant disregard for Court of Appeal judgments delivered on July 4th 2024 and Supreme Court Judgments delivered on July 11th 2024.”

According to Ihunda’s recollection, the Supreme Court’s July 11, 2024 verdict confirmed the independence of Local Government Areas throughout Nigeria by nullifying State Governors’ ability to establish interim committees for governing their corresponding Councils. This decision effectively overturned section 7(1) of the constitution from 1999.

According to Ihunda, although some state governors were reportedly complying with the court’s directive to dissolve caretaker committees nationwide, “the scenario is distinct in Rivers State.”

He stated that the government of Rivers State is actively supporting unlawful caretaker committees and urging their chairmen and members to present themselves as leaders of Local Government Administration in all 23 regions.

Following the conflict concerning the LG chairmen’s tenure, The Rivers Police Command assumed control over all 23 LGA headquarters. Despite Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun’s subsequent declaration that a court of competent jurisdiction must make a ruling on this issue, he affirmed that law enforcement personnel would remain present in these councils.