By Keennaan P.
There is tension across some twenty-three
local government areas in Rivers state as the tenure of the council chairmen
expires today, June 17, by midnight.
The tension was ignited by the decision of the LG chairmen in the state under the aegis of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria to remain in office, citing the Local Government Amendment Law No 2 of 2024. The Martin Amaewhule-led 27 House of Assembly members extended their tenure by six months.
The State ALGON Chairman, Allwell Ihunda, who is
also the Chairman of Port Harcourt City Local Government Area, insisted that
the law by the House of Assembly empowers them to remain in office.
It will be recalled that the Law by the lawmakers loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, empowers the council chairmen to remain in office. This is over the alleged failure of Governor Siminalayi Fubara to conduct local government elections.
Only last month, Governor Fubara at an event in
Port Harcourt had warned the LG chairmen not to do anything that would truncate
the peace of the state, saying they have a few days to leave office.
At a press conference last week, the embattled
former Speaker Amaewhule had warned Governor Fubara against nominating
caretaker committee members to fill vacant positions in the 23 councils of the
state, saying the lawmakers will not accept such a move.
The outgoing council chairmen, who were elected during the tenure of Wike as governor, have been having a running battle with the latter’s successor, Governor Fubara, following the disagreement between the two political leaders. Even as they have vetoed the Governor to enact about six laws.
Youths protest
Against this backdrop, youths in Degema early on
Monday occupied the council secretariat, locked the entrance, and mounted in
front of the gate.
Youths invade
The youths, who were seen singing war songs,
appeared battle-ready as they insisted that they would not allow the chairmen
to remain in office after serving out their tenure.
They said they will remain there to ensure the
outgoing local government chairman does not return to the council.
Singing in their local dialects, the youths
chorused that the council chairman has failed, saying, “He is a failure. You
must go’.
At Asari-Toru Local Government Area, hundreds of
youths stormed the council headquarters in Degema and occupied the facility.
Many of the youths were seen in different groups in
front of the secretariat and the entire stretch of the road leading to the
entrance, even as some could be heard saying, ‘Asawana’ a popular slang among
the Ijaws which signifies solidarity, even as others arrive to the scene in
droves.
The youths said they would remain until Wednesday
when work resumes and dared the council chairmen to come to the secretariat.
But in Port Harcourt City Local Government Area and
Obio/Akpor LGA, there was a huge security presence to prevent any security
breaches.
Over six police patrol vans in front of the shut
entrance of the secretariat on Monday morning. The patrol vans were manned
by fierce-looking security operatives but movements of people were not
restricted.
The outgoing chairman of Eleme LGA, Obarilomate
Ollor, has warned those eager to throw him out of office not to come close to
the council, saying they will be resisted.
Ollor, while addressing stakeholders at the first
Annual General Meeting of the Aleto Clan Association held in Port Harcourt said
he had gotten wind of plans to invade the council on June 17th and threatened
to unleash terror on such invaders.
“Some people are ganging up; they want to use
force to enter into the local government. Let me tell you, the local government
is not a community town hall or students union secretariat.
“That is a government facility. So, stay away from
there except the law permits you to go there.”
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