New helmsmen at the grassroots swing into action
● How Sim, the people and youths crushed the Pro-Wike rebellion at the grassroots
By PHC Telegraph
Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Barrister Nyesom Wike. Ties broken by political interests.
Across the length and breath of Rivers State, a state which has been dipped in unending crisis, there are growing expectations.
New leaders of interim administrations at the third tier level are gradually swinging into action.
They are promising after taking the oath of office to put the people first, a posture which is seemingly in line with the mantra of the Governor Siminalayi Fubara administration.
Accordingly, these new leaders who are likely to stay in office for three months are pledging as they go to work to implement people-oriented programmes expected in this very trying times to bring relief to the door post of Rivers people whose families, businesses and lifestyles are being crushed by galloping inflation.
Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, home base of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory is promising under an interim administration to slash taxes.
Chijioke Ihunwo is to cut taxes by 50%, a move which will reduce the burden borne by traders and investors in the area while Evans Bipi in Ogu/Bolo says his priority is on the empowerment of the people.
Like his counterpart in the Etche Local Government Area, Barrister John Otamiri, Bipi is also focused on the development of human capital.
Otamiri told the Port Harcourt Telegraph that human capital development and the empowerment of Etche people would be his primary concern as interim chair.
Etche communities have been in darkness for more than one year, a situation that has made life a living hell for the local people. There are however hints that if the interim government under Otamiri helps to restore power supply to the area, he may hit the bull’s eye before his time is up.
The interim Chairman of Asari Toru Local Government Council, Orolosama Amachree is planning to stimulate the local economy by strengthening enterprising indigenes of the area to sustain and expand the scope of their small scale businesses.
Amachree promised that some sons and daughters of the local government would get as much as N10 million naira to drive their businesses under an aggressive plan that is intended to usher in a bit of fresh air.
His counterpart in the Degema Local Government Area, Anthony Soberekon, we have learnt, is thinking strongly of executing a similar plan.
In Khana Local Government, Marvin Yobana has asked rate collectors unleashed on the people by the outgone council llleadership to end their operations at once.
Fight for the control of the Rivers countryside:
Control of the administrative machinery at the grassroots has been critical to pro-Wike forces as well as Fubara loyalists as the tenure of council administrations drew to a close.
Outgoing chairmen who are tied to the political structure built by Nyesom Wike, the immediate past governor of the State, vowed they will not vacate office.
In Eleme and Ikwerre local government areas were the voices of pro-Wike forces were loudest, threats of impending doom were issued repeatedly by the chairmen whose tenure had ceased to exist.
But the Rivers people led by Governor Fubara who had allowed elected council chairmen to serve out their tenure appeared better motivated.
In Port Harcourt City Local Government Area, a man believed to be the outgoing chairman of the area was seen on video fleeing from the Council Secretariat along Moscow Road as the people marched.
At Obio/Akpor, a hapless statue of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory was beheaded by angry youths who had poured unto the street to defend democracy and the Constitution.
“He has fallen “, a young Obio/Akpor indigene told this publication as he narrated how events played out on a day that Obio and Akpor youths said enough is enough.
In Ogu/Bolo, pro-Fubara forces marshaled by Bipi noiselessly took over the council despite a move by Boma Iyaye, a staunch Wike supporter to capture the facility.
In Eleme, the ‘predator’ who threatened to send innocent persons to meet their loved ones on the other side took off when the people came calling.
At Omuma, a bloody clash was reported as the people rose to prevent attempts to take their council hostage by a gang of power-hungry politicians.
At least, two persons, a policeman and a member of OSPAC were reportedly killed, following the encounter that took place.
Speaking while inaugurating the 23 interim council chairmen, the Governor said that what is happening in Rivers State in total disregard for the Constitution has a national dimension.
“What is happening here now is a defence of democracy”, the Rivers Governor stressed, “We will not allow the wrong precedent to be created in this country.
“It is not about Rivers State. It is not about Fubara. But if in any way this attempt of tenure elongation succeeds in Rivers State, it becomes a norm in Nigeria.
“So, we have taken it upon ourselves to say, not on our own watch will it happen because it is completely alien to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
The general picture emerging from the field indicates that Fubara and the Rivers people have taken over the grassroots and sent a clear and strong message to those who are stoking crisis.
Our Correspondents say that the police are maintaining a strong presence in parts of the state as efforts to avert clashes and keep the peace intensify.
But, they report there is no doubt that the resolve of those seeking to elongate the tenure of local government chairmen who have finally completed their tenure has been shattered even though there are still pockets of resistance.
The activities of the newly sworn-in leaders of local interim administrations who are renewing hope among the people as they settle down to work confirms the complete take over of the Rivers countryside by Governor Fubara.
You’ll Go Through Me – Fubara:
Fubara who continues to seek peace as he consolidates his hold on power is turning out by the day to be a focused and strong-willed leader much to the consternation of his traducers.
The Governor warned that those who would seek to terrorise his supporters would have to go through him first.
He said he would not sit idly by and watch from the sidelines as some persons, possibly with evil intentions, plot to destabilize the oil rich State and harass law abiding citizens
The warning came as protests broke out on the street and Rivers people rallied to take back their State from the grip of political overlords who are aiming to shutdown good governance.
Now, the intensity of the storm which hung like a dark cloak over the State has reduced after the face-off.
Chief Ogbonna Nwuke, a former Information commissioner and federal lawmaker said on “X”, “The political storm anticipated to rock the very foundation of the Sim Govt & the stability of Rivers State hasn’t made its landfall. At least, not yet. What God ordains can’t change no matter what man does. Change has come to the Rivers grassroots despite moves to scuttle it.”
“Our State won’t burn! Our kids won’t die!! No matter who hardens Wike’s heart, Rivers shall know peace”, Nwuke added.
Somehow, Governor Fubara has been recording successes in the field as the fight between him and his boss deepens.
True to his remark that Speaker Martins Amaewhule and his cohorts exist as a result of his benevolence, their ability to parade as lawmakers have been halted by an order of court.
All the amendments that were hurriedly passed into law by the Amaewhule group without the assent of the governor have been thrashed.
Speaker Victor Oko-Jumbo has replaced Amaewhule and the legislative rascality of the angry gang that operated at the Rivers Assembly Quarters.
The ship of state sails despite stormy waters as government implements its policies and programmes and rekindles the hope of Rivers people who voted massively to entrench a government of the people by the people and for the people.