Control Of Local Govt Councils: Rivers Politicians Prepare For The Struggle To Come

By PHC Telegraph

Politicians across Rivers State, especially those political stakeholders who belong to the Peoples Democratic Party which has held sway in Rivers politics are working feverishly behind the scene to retain their control of the grassroots.

They are not the only ones within the political space who are currently scheming to pennetrate the Rivers grassroots.

The all conquering PDP in Rivers State is split in two, following the growing rift that exists between forces loyal to the Minister of the FCT,  Barrister Nyesom Wike and the Governor of Rivers State,  Sir Siminalayi Fubara.

Others in other political parties such as the Labour Party, LP, Accord Party, AP and the All Progressives Congress, APC are getting ready as well to exploit the differences in the PDP to their own advantage.

Somehow, the renewed struggle for power amongst members of the political class in the PDP is coming as the lifespan of elected local government party structures and the tenure of councils gradually come to an end.

Serving Council chairmen, councillors and political appointees who are working with them at the local government level barely have time left.

They have one more month to go in office, according to information that is filtering in.

Thereafter, they will be replaced as tradition allows after handing over officially to Heads of Personnel Management serving in their respective local government areas.

 

How will the councils be run when the tenure of council chairmen and their councillors expire?

Will the HPMs who are responsible for administrative matters in their various local councils be the ones in charge?

Will the State appoint Caretaker committees whose members will remain in place until elections are conducted by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission to elect the new leaders at the grassroots?

Already, certain alterations have been made to the local government law in Rivers State by a House of Assembly that is dominated by pro-Wike forces.

Incidentally, the law was not accented to by the Governor before it was passed by the State Assembly.

in the meantime, a court has ordered state lawmakers whose seats are being contested by stakeholders on grounds that they hastily cross-carpeted when there was no crisis in the PDP to appear before it.

The Port Harcourt Telegraph has learnt that meetings are being held in the Rivers State capital, Port Harcourt, and in Abuja by powerful interests to fine-tune strategies that would give their supporters an edge.

Some within the PDP think the use of HPMs to manage the local government system will be less rancorous and less expensive. They say the use of HPMs which was favoured by the military might be best now that there is a big division within the party.

Others favour the selection of members of caretaker committees  who will be named on the basis of a sharing formula to be agreed to by the two major camps within the ruling party.

People who are in support of this line of thought insist this is the only way the State Assembly which is controlled by another party will play ball.

Yet, there are people who argue that the choice of members of caretaker committees should be left entirely to the State Governor. They say this has been the practice all along and wonder why the practice will change now that Fubara is in the saddle.

As at the time of  this report, names were being compiled, particularly in the Wike camp where instructions to operate an all inclusive agenda by the ‘leader” is being deliberately flouted.

“They are names of trusted loyalists who will serve as party officials and members of caretaker committees at the grassroots when the time comes”, a source in the Wike camp said.

From the look of things, the fierce battle for the take over of local government structures will be fought between home-based actors who are supporting Governor Siminalayi Fubara and those that are being described as Abuja based politicians who are busy rallying behind the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Barrister Nyesom Wike.

Many here expect lots of controversial face-offs and high-wire schemes on the rough road which will lead to the establishment of a caretaker arrangement and the election of new helmsmen at the grassroot level.

The forthcoming local government elections no doubt promises to be a major acid test for Governor Siminalayi Fubara  and ex-governor Nyesom Wike. 

Fubara continues to stress his belief in peace. At what cost is he likely to enjoy the peace that he wants for Rivers State?

Those that are backing Wike claim that they love Rivers State. At what point will they give up actions which may undermine the peace and progress of the State that they profess to love?

Only time will tell.