Tenure crisis: Tension as Rivers youths occupy LG headquarters

Following the expiration of the tenure of the local government chairmen in Rivers State on Monday, some youths in the Degema Local Government Area took over the council headquarters.

This came as LG chairmen, under the aegis of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, have vowed to remain in office, citing the Rivers State Local Government Amendment Law passed by the Martin Amaewhule-led 27 members of the state House of Assembly.

The lawmakers, who are loyal to ex-governor, Nyesom Wike, passed the LG law on April 22, overriding the assent of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, who earlier refused to sign the law after the lawmakers had passed it and sent it to him for his assent.

The pro-Wike lawmakers came up with the law over the alleged refusal of Fubara to conduct local government elections.

The law empowers the LG chairmen to extend their tenure by six months and stripped Fubara of the power to appoint a caretaker committee to man local government areas.

The state ALGON Chairman, Allwell Ihunda, who is also the Chairman of the Port Harcourt City Local Government Area, insisted that the law by the House of Assembly empowered them to remain in office.

But Fubara at an event in Port Harcourt in May warned the LG chairmen not to do anything that would jeopardise the peace of the state by vacating office once their tenure expires on June 17.

However, the leader of the pro-Wike lawmakers, Amaewhule, at a news briefing last week warned the governor against setting up a caretaker committee to man the 23 LGs of the state, saying the lawmakers would not accept such a move.

The council chairmen, who were elected during the tenure of Wike as governor, have been having a running battle with Fubara, following the disagreement between  Wike and Fubara.

It was gathered that youths in Degema early on Monday occupied the council secretariat, locked the entrance and mounted a barricade in front of the entrance.

The youths, who were seen singing war songs, appeared battle-ready as they insisted that they would not allow the LG chairmen to remain in office after serving out their tenure.

Singing in their local dialects, the youths chorused that the council chairman had failed, saying, “He is a failure you must go.”

A similar scenario played out in the Asari-Toru Local Government Area where hundreds of youths stormed the council headquarters and occupied the building.

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, while more youths arrived at the scene in droves.

The youths said they would remain at the LG secretariat until Wednesday when work resumes and dared the council chairmen to come to the secretariat.

At the Port Harcourt City Local Government Area and Obio/Akpor LGA, there was a huge security presence to prevent security breaches.

Our correspondent sighted 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, although the movements of people were not restricted.

Meanwhile, the outgoing chairman of Eleme LGA, Obarilomate Ollor, warned those eager to throw him out of office not to come close to the council, saying they would be resisted.

Ollor, while addressing stakeholders at the first Annual General Meeting of the Aleto Clan Association in Port Harcourt, said he had got wind of plans to invade the council on June 17 and threatened to unleash terror on such invaders.

He urged those who do not have legitimate businesses at the council headquarters not to come close, pointing out that the LG council was neither a community town hall nor a students’ union facility.

Ollor stated, “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. If you go there against the law, what you will see you will not believe it. You will see your forefathers earlier than you expected.

“So don’t go there if you are not meant to go there. You can stay in a hotel and make noise, but don’t go there.”

However, the chairman of Opobo Local Government Area, Enyiada Cooley-Gam, and his counterpart in Bonny LGA, Anengi Barasua,  held thanksgiving service in preparation for their hand over.

But the other 21 council chairmen are insisting on obeying the local government amendment law.

Our correspondent, who monitored the situation, reported that the occupation of some LG secretariats created tension in the state as protesters

When contacted, the spokesperson for the Rivers State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, said the police were on top of the situation.

“Our men were on a show of strength this morning. We are still monitoring the situation and we want urge everyone to maintain peace in the state,” Iringe-Koko.