‎Council Chairmen in Rivers Take Up Residence In Abuja As Fight Between Wike And Fubara Enters A New Phase 

● Fubara tells them their time is up

By PHC Telegraph

Most elected Council chairmen in the Rivers State whose tenure in office is about to come to an end are relocating in droves to Abuja, the federal capital territory.

This is authoritative.

Our findings suggest that most council chairmen whose loyalty is to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, now spend more time in the federal capital territory than they do in their local council areas.

According to what the Telegraph has pieced together, these council chairmen fly in from Abuja like oil company workers do from Lagos to carry out special tasks in the State before dashing quickly back to their bases in Abuja.

Although no one is chasing them, we have learnt that most of them unsure of what is likely to happen, especially now that “jungle don mature‘ have disappeared from their LGAs.

It is as if these masters of the grassroots have seen an apparition, a transformation that they never thought was possible, and a new Fubara that they can barely recognize.

Some of them have in the most nonchalant manner abused the Governor, calling him names because of a fight that he originally did not want.

Others had said at pointblank range, even before press cameras, that they are going nowhere after their tenures in office expire.

Allwell Ihunwo, State Chairman of ALGON and Chairman of Port Harcourt City Local Government Area recently boasted that elected Council chairmen in the State would spend additional six months in office after the expiration of their tenure.

Now, those dreams have seemingly fizzled out, turning into a mirage as events unfold on a daily basis and the tide of war turns.

The amended laws made by the Martins Amaewhule led faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly which placed council chairmen above the law and away from reasonable control have been tossed out of the window by the new Speaker, Victor Oko-Jumbo.

As the fight escalates, Amaewhule who has become used to dishing orders has lost the right to be addressed as the Speaker and the right to parade as a member of the House of Assembly by virtue of a court order.

 

His supporters on the floor of the House who defected to the APC from the PDP are equally struggling to save their legislative jobs, following the same court order that has kept them out of circulation.

Hanging around their necks at this time is the proviso of Section 109 (1)(g) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

It says that those who cross-carpet from the Party platform through which they were elected to another political party would lose their seats, especially where there is no clear division.

We have gathered from credible sources that most council chairmen in the State are relatively confused at this time, given the turn of events which appear somehow to have given the momentum to the Rivers Governor instead of the FCT Minister.

Meanwhile, Governor Siminalayi Fubara has told Rivers local government Council Chairmen  serving at the grassroots that their time is up.

Speaking at Egbeda in the Ikwerre Local Government Area while officially flagging off the  construction of the Elele – Omoku Road on Thursday, Fubara said council bosses have one month to remain in office.

Reacting to an attack on innocent Rivers people who converged for the inauguration of the Aleto-Ogale-Ebubu- Eteo Road, Fubara warned that serving council chairmen who engage in violence against defenseless Rivers citizens  under the guise of lending political support to any politician will not be forgiven.

Although the Governor did not refer specifically to anyone by name, many who are monitoring political trends in Rivers State think the apparent reference to his former boss shows how badly the situation has degenerated.

“So I’m advising those people who call themselves local government chairmen”, Fubara said at Egbeda, the largest Ikwerre community, “You have a few days in the office, conduct yourself. Politics will come, politics will go, and we will still live our lives.”

“Don’t let anybody deceive you, if you deliberately hurt anybody in the course of maybe expressing your support nobody will forgive you. You will pay for it”, the Governor  warned, “So I’m begging everyone please conduct yourselves.”

Many are waiting to see what the council chairmen who are loyalists of the outgone governor who is now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory will do when the time comes.

Will they dare to remain in office long after their tenure lapses?

That is the million dollar question that many inside and outside Rivers State are asking at the moment.

The chairmen allege that their allocations are being withheld by the Rivers State Government.

Those conversant with the way things work in government circles reveal that such a practice at a time council chairmen are about to leave office has become rather conventional.

The aim they say is to ensure that funds required by their successors are not in any way squandered.

Among most mainstream Rivers people, from what we have found, Fubara’s posture on dismantling council administration’s that have run their full course has been well received.

While the people cheered his stance on council chairmen as he spoke at Egbeda, the Governor pledged that the Rivers State Government  would deliver on its promises.

He disclosed that the administration is ready to account for all the funds expended so far on projects, adding that 50 per cent of the money budgeted for the 3.3km Road has already been paid. 

Today, Governor Fubara continues with the commissioning of the Ogoni-Andoni end of the Unity Road.

Next week the Governor would among other things flag off phase two of the Trans Kalabari Road.

Joe Johnson,  Commissioner for Information said the road when completed will provide access to many Kalabari towns and villages.