Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has advised the newly sworn-in caretaker committee chairmen to operate remotely if attempts to gain access to council secretariats would breach the peace in the state. This comes after the governor swore in the 23 chairmen at the government house in Port Harcourt on Wednesday.
Governor Fubara emphasized the importance of peaceful resolution, warning the caretaker chairmen not to confront security personnel who have taken over the council secretariats. He stated that he does not want to be associated with violence and urged the chairmen to be law-abiding.
The governor’s advice comes after a clash between supporters of his administration and those of his predecessor, Minister Nyesom Wike, resulted in the death of a policeman and a local security operative. The state police command has since taken over all LG council headquarters to maintain order.
Despite the tension, Governor Fubara emphasized that the caretaker chairmen are now in charge of the Local Government Areas. He also noted that their tenure would be short, as the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) is set to begin the process for local government elections in the coming days.
The crisis in Rivers State has been ongoing since late last year, with Governor Fubara and Minister Wike locked in a dispute. The situation escalated on Tuesday when youths loyal to the governor dislodged chairmen loyal to Wike after their tenure expired. The chairmen had vowed to remain in office, citing the Local Government Amendment Law 2024.
It bears mentioning that the disagreement between Fubara and Nyesom Wike minister of FCT reached new heights earlier this month leading to the death of a policeman and a member of a local security during a clash between supporters of the governor and his predecessor, the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, at Eberi-Omuma in the Omuma Local Government Area of the state on Tuesday.
As the situation continues to unfold, Governor Fubara’s call for peace and remote operation may help to ease tensions in the state. However, the underlying issues driving the crisis remain unresolved, and the road ahead for Rivers State’s governance remains uncertain.
