Following the recent sealing of the 23 local government councils by the police, Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has instructed these councils to operate from alternative secretariats.
This directive comes in response to police actions barring newly inaugurated caretaker chairmen from their offices, aimed at preventing further bloodshed and maintaining order.
Tensions in Rivers State have been rising, particularly after a violent clash on Tuesday between supporters of Governor Fubara and those of his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, who now serves as the Federal Capital Territory Minister. The conflict led to the deaths of a police officer and a member of a local security outfit in Omuma Local Government Area, marking the latest escalation in an ongoing feud between the two political figures.
This crisis has its roots in late last year, including incidents like the bombing of the state House of Assembly and an attempted impeachment of Governor Fubara by lawmakers loyal to Wike.
The immediate trigger for the current conflict was the expiration of the three-year tenure of the 23 local government chairmen on Monday. The outgoing chairmen, supported by a local government amendment law passed by the Martin Amaewhule-led House of Assembly, sought a six-month extension of their terms due to the governor’s failure to conduct local government elections. In response, Governor Fubara appointed caretaker chairmen, who were sworn in on Wednesday.
Addressing the newly appointed caretaker committee chairmen, Governor Fubara directed them to operate from any location while the council secretariats remained inaccessible due to the police barricade. He defended his appointment of the caretaker chairmen as a measure to uphold democracy, asserting that the attempt to extend the tenure of elected officials violated the Nigerian Constitution. Additionally, he ordered an immediate audit of the accounts of the 23 councils to ensure financial transparency and accountability.
Commissioner Olatunji Disu, head of the state police command, justified the police’s control over the local government secretariats as a necessary step to prevent further violence between the rival factions.
