Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara | File Image
Fubara: The decision was inline with the Constitution’s provision and the need to ensure peace and order in the state
By John Amadi
The political crisis rocking Rivers State deepens as the state Governor Siminalayi Fubara orders the administrative heads to takeover the aministration of the state’s 23 local government areas from their chairmen with immediate effect.
The order came on the heels of the expiration of the chairmen’s three-year tenure in office on Monday June 17, 2024.
Governor Fubara gave the directive in a state broadcast in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, on Tuesday June 18, 2024.
Also read: Kalabari youths protest, shutdown three LGAs in Rivers
He explained that the decision was inline with the Constitution’s provision and the need to ensure peace and order in the state.
Fubara also commended the efforts and dedication of the council chairmen to public service.
Recall that youths barricaded the secretariats of the three local government areas of Kalabari, demanding the vacation of office by the chairmen, whose tenures of office expired on Monday.
They were also supported by a former militant, Alhaji Asari Dokubo, who urged the council chairmen to leave office on Monday as the Constitution stipulated or face the consequences.
Meanwhile, two council chairmen announced their willingness to leave office in accordance with the state’s Local Government Law of 2018.
The chairmen are the first female council chairman of Bonny Local Government Area, Dame Anengi Barasua Claude-Wilcox; and the Enyiada Cookeygam of Opobo/Nkoro, from Fubara’s LGA.
Both Claude-Wilcox and the Enyiada Cookeygam of Opobo/Nkoro had challenged the extension of the tenure of local government chairmen by the Martin Amaewhule-led led-assembly in court.
At Channels Television after a function at the Government House on Monday, the now-former council chairmen urged their colleagues in other LGAs to respect the position of the law and exit office peacefully.
It was however gathered that the remaining 21 chairmen yet to handover are loyalists of the former Governor Nyesom Wike.
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