A tense atmosphere gripped the Port Harcourt City Local Government Council on Wednesday as a group of youths loyal to Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, gathered at the council premises.
The youths’ presence follows a crisis over local government administration in the state.
Police reinforcements were deployed to PHALGA and other local council areas to maintain order and prevent potential unrest.
A former Council Executive and current coordinator of grassroots development initiatives in PHALGA, Maxwell Enwukwe, assured that the youths are committed to peaceful protest.
The crisis stems from the expiration of local government chairmen’s tenure in Rivers State on Tuesday, with conflicting claims over tenure extension by the State House of Assembly. Governor Siminalayi Fubara has nominated caretaker committees for the 23 local government councils in the state, amid the leadership dispute.
The situation remains volatile, with the youths’ presence at PHALGA, near the Rivers State Government House, indicating ongoing tensions.
Speaking to Channels Television, Maxwell Enwukwe, a former Council Executive and current coordinator of grassroots development initiatives in PHALGA, emphasized their commitment to ensuring peace and order.
“These are youths from Port Harcourt Local Government Council. We have come to ensure peace and order in our local government council because yesterday, we received information that some individuals gathered hoodlums to besiege the council even during a public holiday,” Enwukwe stated.
He further explained, “Today, we have come to see why that happened, but fortunately, the police have taken over the local government council premises, and everyone is here peacefully. These are supporters of grassroots development initiatives loyal to the Minister of FCT.”
