Rivers Crisis: Wike’s allies hold protest march after police ask NULGE to suspend protest

The police in Rivers State on Monday allowed former chairpersons of Rivers local councils to hold protest marches in some parts of Rivers, the same day the police had advised the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) in the state to suspend its planned protest.

Most of the former chairpersons of the local councils are supporters of Nyesom Wike, a former governor of Rivers, who is engaged in a protracted political battle with his successor, Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

Mr Wike is now the FCT minister.

The police in the state had since last Wednesday taken over the 23 council secretariats in the state after violent clashes between supporters of Governor Fubara and those of Mr Wike resulted in the death of two persons, including a police officer.

The closure of the council secretariats has prevented local government workers from having access to their offices, a situation that forced NULGE to give police a four-day ultimatum to vacate the secretariats or face protest.

The organised labour – the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in Rivers State had expressed support for the planned protest by NULGE, PREMIUM TIMES reported.

But the police spokesperson in the state, Grace Iringe-Koko, in a statement on Sunday, a day before the expiration of the ultimatum advised the NULGE to suspend the planned protest.

“The police command respects the right to lawful assembly but has received credible intelligence indicating potential infiltration of the planned protest on Monday.

“Hoodlums plan to hijack the protest and instigate chaos in the state.

“Consequently, the command advises the organisers to suspend the planned protest to avert any possible breakdown of law and order,” Mrs Iringe-Koko, a police superintendent, said.

In apparent compliance with the police order, the organised labour in the state in a joint statement issued on Sunday said it had uncovered plans by “some miscreants” to cause mayhem in the state under the cover of ultimatum it issued to the inspector general of police to order the police to vacate council secretariats.

The union dissociated itself from the “wicked plan” which it said was aimed at promoting the call for a declaration of a state of emergency in the state by “mischief makers”.

“Rivers State Organised Labour has not directed anyone or group of persons to embark on any form of industrial action or demonstration following the lockout of our members at various local government councils in the state.

“Impacted affiliates union, especially NULGE is hereby directed to remain on standby until further notice for likely lawful industrial action,” organised labour said.

But some former council chairpersons who are allies of Mr Wike held a protest march in Port Harcourt on Monday, the same day the police advised NULGE to suspend its planned protest.

The police spokesperson in the state, Mrs Iringe-Koko did not respond to calls and text messages seeking her comments on the development.

Stay away from council until court verdict – Ex-council chairperson

In an interview with PREMIUM TIMES on Monday, Samuel Nwanosike, the former chairperson of Ikwerre local council said the former chairpersons are protesting across the 23 council areas.

“We want everybody to stay away from the council until the court gives a valid order for us to follow,” Mr Nwanosike said, a similar position which is canvassed by the police.

“We will not allow hoodlums to take over our offices and cart away hard earned materials and resources we have gathered.

“We have confidence in the police but the people are already blackmailing the police – those who are already involved in the matter like members of the caretaker committees,” he said, when asked if they do not trust the capacity of the police to protect the secretariats.

Citing the protest notice earlier issued by NULGE if police failed to vacate the secretariat, Mr Nwanosike said members of NULGE cannot be a judge in their own case.

“For instance, there are NULGE people who are civil servants who did not resign their position before taking up appointment in the caretaker committee. Some of them are chairpersons of various councils of NULGE.

“They are now part of the (caretaker) committee, how can they be a judge in their own matter? They are telling the police that they want to go to work. If you allow such miscreants to intimidate the police, for how long can the police hold guard to it?”

Civil servants appointed as caretaker committee members

Former council chairpersons in the state had in a statement on Sunday listed the names of 21 civil servants and active members of NULGE who were appointed and inaugurated as members of caretaker committee in the state by Governor Fubara.

The statement was forwarded to PREMIUM TIMES by Mr Nwanosike.

Mr Nwanosike specifically pointed out that Thankgod Ichem, a member of the recently inaugurated caretaker committee did not resign as a civil servant in Ikwerre local council before taking up the political appointment.

PREMIUM TIMES confirmed that Mr Ichem’s name made the list of the caretaker committee members screened and approved by the Rivers House of Assembly for Ikwerre local council.

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This newspaper could not, however, reach Mr Ichem to confirm if he had resigned before taking up the appointment.

When contacted, Nelson Chukwudi, the spokesperson to Governor Fubara denied knowledge of the appointment of civil servants into caretaker committees in the state.