The crisis in Rivers State on Tuesday worsened over the tenure of 23 local government chairmen as protesting youths loyal to the state Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, dislodged no fewer than three chairmen who refused to vacate their offices, ThePUNCH reports.
A policeman was killed at Eberi-Omuma in the Omuma Local Government Council secretariat during a clash between supporters of Fubara and his predecessor, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
To prevent a breakdown of law and order, the police on Tuesday evening announced the takeover of the 23 council secretariats.
The three-year tenure of the 23 chairmen expired on Monday but they had vowed to remain in office, citing the Local Government Amendment Law 2024 made by the Martin Amaewhule-led House of Assembly.
The law by the 27 lawmakers loyal to Wike, empowers them to remain in office for six months due to the failure of Fubara to conduct local government elections.
One of the council bosses and Secretary of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, Rivers State chapter, Obarimate Ollor, Ollor, had alleged, while addressing stakeholders at the first Annual General Meeting of the Aleto Clan Association in Port Harcourt last Thursday, that there were plans to invade the council on Monday (yesterday).
On Monday, youths occupied the secretariats of three local governments of the Kalabari-speaking areas, namely, Asari-Toru, Akuku-Toru and Degema and vowed not to allow the chairmen access because their tenure had expired.
This came as Fubara, in a state-wide broadcast on Tuesday, directed the heads of local government administrations to take charge of council affairs from Wednesday, (tomorrow) pending further directives.
Protesting youths
But the crisis deepened later on Tuesday at the Port Harcourt City Local Government Area Council, when the state ALGON Chairman Allwell Ihunda, escaped death narrowly when scores of protesting Ijaw youths chased him in front of the council while trying to make his way into the facility situated between Bank Road and Moscow Road.
Ihunda, who is the outgoing Chairman of Port Harcourt City Local Government Area, was on his way to the council secretariat with some aides and security details when the youths blocked him, saying they were enforcing the order of the governor, who had directed heads of local government administrations to take charge of the 23 LGAs.
As he tried to have his way, the youths started shouting, chasing him and attempting to get hold of Ibunda who raced towards his car.
But the security details attached to the Mayor, as he is fondly called, resisted the youths from reaching their principal and consequently shot sporadically into the air to disperse them.
Ihunda raced into his waiting SUV vehicle escorted by aides and zoomed off with his convoy, while the youths chased and rained curses at him.
Some of the youths were heard shouting with a tone of mockery and pelted stones at his vehicle, saying, “That is him, Allwell. Chase him. Who is he? Look at him, Mayor is running. Chase him. Don’t run, come you will see pressure. We are not afraid of you’’.
Soon afterwards, a team of policemen arrived at the scene, firing gunshots into the air as well as teargas canisters in an attempt to disperse the protesters who included members of the Ijaw Youths Council, even as they challenged the operatives saying they were there on a peaceful protest.
One of the protesters, who refused to mention his name for fear of being identified, said they were at the secretariat to carry out a peaceful demonstration against Ihunda, whom they claimed had vowed not to vacate office despite the expiration of his tenure on Monday.
He, however, alleged that policemen started shooting live bullets and teargas canisters in their direction as soon as they sighted the youths, even as they approached newsmen to lodge their complaint.
He stated, “The tenures of the LG chairmen have elapsed and we are we came here as citizens of Rivers State. We stand here as Ijaw youths for peace and tranquillity. But the police are shooting at us. We are here for the governor of Rivers State. We are not here to make trouble.”
One of the youth leaders identified as Ichemanti alleged that one of the protesting youths was shot at by the police, even as the deafening sound of gunshots rented the air.
Soon after the situation calmed, the protesters mounted several canopies in front of the council as the policemen watched them dancing, singing, dancing with the IYC flags and displaying placards showing solidarity for Fubara.
In the Eleme LGA, the state ALGON secretary and outgoing chairman was said to have gone to the council with some of his aides and supporters but pro-Fubara supporters mobilised themselves and chased him out of the facility after a heated argument between them and his supporters.
In Obio/Akpor, the LGA of the FCT minister, hundreds of youths occupied the secretariat in Rumuodomaya early on Tuesday morning but the council chairman, George Ariolu was nowhere to be found.
The angry youths pulled down a gigantic billboard of the FCT Minister inside the council and smashed the windscreen of one of the vehicles of the outgoing LG chairman, even as they remained in the secretariat.
In the Emuoha LGA, the planned distribution of farm implements to farmers in the 14 wards of the area by the outgoing Chairman, Dr Chidi Lloyd, was stalled as the youths also occupied the secretariat.
Speaking on the incident, Lloyd, a former leader of the State House of Assembly, took a swipe at Fubara over his directive for the heads of LG administrations to take charge of council activities across the 23 LGAs, describing it as ill-advised.
He stated, “What has happened is that the governor was ill-advised because the governor also knows that the state Assembly led by Martin Amaewhule had amended the Local Government Law and outlawed the use of caretakers as heads of local governments.
“And recall that even when they went to court before Justice Kion Kio, he only expunged the section that has to do with tenure elongation.
“Every other section in that law is still alive. So the governor couldn’t have asked heads of local governments to go and take over councils. No, they do not have such powers anywhere to take over the councils.”
Policeman killed
At Eberi-Omuma, in the Omuma LGA, a policeman and a member of a local vigilante group were killed during a scuffle, though the police said both men were there to prevent a breakdown of law and order.
A source said a policeman attached to a politician in the Omuma LGA had allegedly shot the member of the vigilante group codenamed the Omuma Security Planning and Advisory Committee. The politician was in one of the groups that clashed at the council secretariat.
The source said the protesters attacked and killed the policeman in reprisal.
But when contacted, the spokesperson for the state Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the death of the policeman and the vigilante. She, however, did not disclose the cause of the death.
She said, “Yes, we lost a police officer and a vigilante member. Investigations are ongoing to ascertain the immediate and remote causes of the incident.”
Also in Obio/Akpor, Emohua, Eleme and Khana LGAs, there were reports of shooting by unidentified persons.
But in the Ikwerre Local Government Area, the outgoing Chairman, Dr Samuel Nwanosike, succeeded in staying put in the council until much later when he left, as he was seen in a viral video speaking from the council, although there were reports of gunshots in some parts of the area.
Nwanosike, an ally to the FCT minister, accused the governor and the Chief of Staff, at Government House. Dr Edison Ehie, of hiring cultists and gunmen to unleash mayhem in the 23 LGAs.
Nwanosike, in a trending video on Tuesday alleged that the governor hired creek dwellers and brought them to the state, saying “They are going about LGA by LGAs shooting and looting the properties” of the councils particularly that of the Ikwerre LGA.
“They went and hired cultists who are shooting and looting council properties in the name of governing a state. They even shot a policeman. Is this the best for democracy!?
He called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene and uphold the constitution of Nigeria in the Rivers crisis to forestall a breakdown of law and order.
“We are calling on Mr President that this is the time to uphold the constitution of Nigeria. Governor Fubara has brought insecurity full blown into Rivers State”.
Reacting to the allegation, the state Commissioner for information and Communications, Joseph Johnson, said the former chairman was merely trying to be clever by half, noting that there was no shooting anywhere in the state as alleged.
Johnson stated, “His allegations or claims are very funny. We are not in any desperate mode to take over any council in the state. The Constitution is very clear on this matter. It says that any law that is enacted at the lower level cannot supersede the constitution of the country.
“The judgment of Justice D.G. Kio of the State High Court is there for everybody to make references to. The law No. 2 that they made had been expunged and is not only invalid but is nonexistent. Regarding insecurity in the state, you can see that Rivers State is very peaceful. There is no gunshot anywhere.
“I am right now sitting with the oldest man in my family, aged 90, for a meeting and my house is at the centre of Port Harcourt. There is no single gunshot anywhere here or the entire state”, Johnson said,
LG council
Our correspondent reports that Fubara’s CoS and former factional speaker, Dr Edison Ehie, was spotted inside the Obio/Akpor council secretariat exchanging pleasantries with the state Chairman of the National Youths Council of Nigeria, Chijioke Ihunwo, even as he was later spotted at his LG, Ahoada East secretariat.
Aside from Governor Fubara’s LGA, Opobo and neighbouring Bonny LGA, there was palpable tension in other local governments though no noticeable violence was recorded, especially in Andoni and Gokana where many said two council chairmen, Awortu Erastus and Confidence Deko, have performed creditably.
In Opobo and Bonny LGAs, the council bosses, Eyiada Cookey-Gam and Anengi Barasua, had since distanced themselves from their colleagues, as they both held separate thanksgiving preparatory to handover.
Later on Tuesday, Fubara convened a state security council meeting where he vowed to resist the arrest of his supporters whom he said are standing for the truth.
The governor however stated that that he would fearlessly lead the way to ensure that peace continued to prevail in the state while also protecting all patriotic supporters for their stand on the path of truth.
Fubara made the vow while addressing newsmen, shortly after rising from a State Security Council meeting with heads of the security agencies at Government House in Port Harcourt on Tuesday.
He emphasised that no grand plan to arrest such patriotic supporters on trumped-up charges would be tolerated.
This was contained in a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Neslon Chukwudi.
Fubara stated that there was no extension of tenures of elected local government chairmen, adding that the law is unambiguous it, clarifying that the court has also affirmed the position of the law.
The governor said, “Let me also say this: I’m also aware that there is a grand plan to come and arrest some of our supporters. This time around, you have to pass through me to arrest them because I don’t think there is anything that any of those people following us has done.
“Rather, they are standing on the side of truth. If it will cost us our lives to stand on the part of truth, we will do that. And I will be the one that will lead the course. Let me assure everyone, more especially, the great and peace-loving people of Rivers State: the law is the law. The law has said that there is no extension of tenure.
“The court said so, and whoever is assuring anybody anywhere of whatever, I advise them to desist from it because peace is what we need in this state. I assure every one of you that whatever it takes to make sure that we maintain peace and order, we are not going back on that.”
He explained that the security council meeting was called because of the recent threat to the peace of the state by the chairmen.
He added, “You are all aware that the tenure of the council chairmen ended yesterday, 17th June 2024, and today, we have ordered the heads of local government administrations to be in charge while they await further directives.
“It’s really unfortunate that we started hearing some disturbing news from some LGAs of invasion of council secretariats, and it is really unfortunate. So, we have called the security council meeting so that the needful will be done.
“We are also aware that our enemy is also planning a lot of things. But we will not fall into that plot. We will not also allow him or them to destroy the peace that we are enjoying in the state,” he added.
He thanked the media and the peace-loving people of the state for their support and urged everyone to continue to remain law-abiding for the unity and progress of the State.
Police takeover
Meanwhile, the state police command said its men had taken over the 23 local government councils in the state as well as some critical infrastructure in the state.
The police said the action followed the renewed crisis which had spread over the tenure of the outgoing local government chairmen.
The spokesperson for the command, Grace Iringe-Koko, disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday night and sent to newsmen.
Iringe-Koko also confirmed the killing of a policeman and a member of a local vigilante outfit.
The statement reads, “Following the breakdown of law and order in the various Local Government Council secretariats in Rivers State where supporters of the two Political factions clashed over the tenure of Local Government Council Chairmen, a case of death was recorded at Eberi-Omuma, Omuma LGA, where a Police officer and a vigilante were killed.
“To forestall more bloodshed and prevent a further breakdown of law and order, the Police have taken over all the 23 Council Secretariats and some critical government infrastructure in the state.
“ Conventional police officers and anti-riot police officers have been deployed to these facilities.
“While urging all groups and individuals to be law-abiding, the Command also warn anyone who intends to cause mayhem as we will not hesitate to impose the full weight of the law on them.
“We also wish to ask the law-abiding residents and visitors in the state to go about their lawful businesses without fear. We are resolved to carry out our constitutional duty of protecting lives and property.”
With this development, the directive of the governor to heads of local government administration to take charge of affairs of the 23 LG council may be kept on hold.
Recall that the Amaewhule led 27 lawmakers loyal to the FCT Minister, Nysom Wike have been having a running battle with Fubara, following the disagreement between him and his predecessor and estranged political godfather.
The crisis led to the bombing of the state House of Assembly on October 30 last year, even as the state legislature has remained under lock and key ever since.
The following day, Fubara survived an attempt to impeach him by the Amaewhue-led pro-Wike lawmakers. This worsened the political crisis in the state and factionalised the House.
Edison Ehie, then House Leader, while speaking with newsmen in Government claimed he had been elected speaker by 24 of his colleagues and announced the suspension of some opposing lawmakers.
As the crisis festered, the Amaewhule led 27 pro-Wike lawmakers during one of their sittings, announced their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress.
On December 13th, 2023, the state government ordered the demolition of the Assembly complex citing structural defects.
At the peak of the political crisis, President Bola Tinubu intervened and invited the feuding parties to Abuja leading to an eight-point peace agreement which both Wike and Fubara signed and pledged to implement.
But soon after the peace deal, both parties were not seeing each other and a few weeks down the line it collapsed, as Wike ruled out any reconciliation resulting in fresh which was championed by their supporters.
Speaking to newsmen on Sunday, the State Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Disu, disclosed that the command had received more operatives from the police headquarters, saying the police were ready to do their job.
Rivers crisis: Cop killed as youths dislodge pro-Wike LG chairmen
