Former local government chairmen in Rivers State have issued a stern warning to Governor Siminalayi Fubara, threatening to resume office if he fails to comply with the Supreme Court ruling outlawing caretaker committees. Loyal to the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, the ex-chairmen voiced their frustrations at a news briefing in Port Harcourt.
Supreme Court Ruling Ignored
The former chairman of Emohua LGA, Dr. Chidi Lloyd, expressed disappointment that Governor Fubara continues to work with caretaker committee members in the state’s 23 local government councils. Lloyd warned that the governor’s actions could lead to unrest, urging the national police to intervene.
“The essence of this conference is to say that we are not cowards. If this continues, we will go back to our local government and force ourselves into the councils,” Lloyd stated. He called on the police to act promptly, criticizing the local authorities for not enforcing the Supreme Court’s decision.
Escalating Tensions
Hope Ikriko, the immediate past chairman of Ahoada West LGA, accused the governor of failing to maintain law and order. He claimed that the people are agitated and that the ex-chairmen are the voice of the voiceless. “Our governor doesn’t seem to be interested in peace,” Ikriko said, warning that if the situation persists, the ex-chairmen might take matters into their own hands.
Dr. Lloyd also cautioned the current caretaker chairmen to avoid project sites, stating, “Anybody who deals with them does so at his or her detriment. Any further impersonation, we will all hit the field, then in law, we will now know what the Supreme Court has said.”
Call for National Attention
Allwell Ihunda, the former Chairman of Port Harcourt City Local Government, called on President Bola Tinubu, the National Assembly, the judiciary, security agencies, and the people of Rivers State to address what he described as “crass contempt of judgements” by Governor Fubara. He highlighted that the Supreme Court’s ruling on July 11, 2024, affirmed the autonomy of local governments, rendering caretaker committees illegal.
“In Rivers State, the State Government is busy promoting these illegal caretaker committees by encouraging them to parade as heads of the Local Government Administration in the 23 Local Government Areas,” Ihunda said.
The Rivers Police Command has taken over the 23 LGA headquarters amidst the crisis, with the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, insisting that the police will maintain their presence until a court of competent jurisdiction resolves the matter.
Source: Punch
