- Governor Fubara instructed new caretaker committee chairmen to operate from anywhere due to restricted access to council secretariats
- State police secured all Local Government Council headquarters following clashes between supporters of Governor Fubara and Minister Nyesom Wike
Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State has instructed the newly appointed caretaker committee chairmen to “operate from anywhere” due to restricted access to council secretariats.
The state police command secured all 23 Local Government Council headquarters to prevent further violence and maintain order. This followed clashes on Tuesday between supporters of the governor and those of Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike at various secretariats.
In Eberi-Omuma, Omuma Local Government Area, the conflict led to the deaths of a policeman and a local security outfit member. The clashes stemmed from former council chairmen’s refusal to vacate office after their tenure ended on Monday.
The former chairmen argued they could remain in office, citing a six-month extension granted by the pro-Wike faction of the Rivers House of Assembly due to Governor Fubara’s failure to conduct new local government elections. Governor Fubara opposed this extension, deeming it unconstitutional. He presented a caretaker committee list to his faction of the Rivers assembly and swore in 23 caretaker chairmen at the government house in Port Harcourt.
During the swearing-in ceremony, Fubara told the caretaker chairmen, “As you resume in your local governments, please avoid confrontation. It is not in my nature. It is not my style. Whatever happened yesterday (Tuesday) is known not to be caused by you. Some individuals instigated it. Let us not allow them to tarnish our state’s image. Be law-abiding and avoid confrontation. You can operate from anywhere.”
He emphasized that the most important aspect was that the caretaker chairmen were now in charge of the Local Government Areas.