The political feud between the incumbent governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Joseph Fubara and the immediate-past governor, Chief Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, now minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, ignited late October 2023, got to a climax on Tuesday, June 17, 2024, when the tenure of the chairmen of the 23 local government areas of the state expired.
That day, Rivers State became a hotbed of political crisis following the refusal of the council chairmen and their councilors to leave office, predicating their legitimacy and action on the six months tenure elongation bill passed by the embattled Hon. Martins Amaewhule-led faction of Rivers State House of Assembly.
Earlier, during the two-day public holidays to mark the Muslim Festival (Monday, 17-18 June, 2024), there had been a negative build-up of leaders and their supporters on both sides of the political divide and the attendant heightened tension created by the sealing off of all the council headquarters by a combined team of security agents, apparently sent there to maintain law and order and prevent any faction from entering the councils.
It was learnt that as early as 6am on Tuesday, June 18, political loyalists, supporters and thugs on the side of the FCT minister, were fully mobilized to their various council headquarters chanting war songs and preventing Governor Fubara’s supporters from gaining access.
The situation became so intractable in the four Ikwerre Local Government Areas of the state: Emohua, Ikwerre, Port Harcourt City and Obio/Akpor- considered the stronghold of Nyesom Wike.
In Emuoha, it was a ding-dong affair between Governor Fubara supporters and those of Wike, resulting in massive shooting.
Three persons were reported to have been killed in the process, while others sustained various degrees of injuries. The immediate past chairman of the LGA, Hon. Dr. Chidi Lloyd who was alleged to have led the thugs escaped and sent a message of retreat to his supporters.
In Ikwerre Local Government, the ex-chairman of the council, Hon. Dr. Samuel Nwanosike, who National Point learnt wore a bullet proof shirt, led a group of well-armed thugs to the council headquarters, but they were strongly resisted by the group loyal to the governor.
Nwanosike was quoted as saying that he will not vacate office over the tenure elongation. Though, he told his boys to soft-pedal, and acknowledge the fact that their tenure has elapsed.
He reiterated that what gave them the impetus for their action was tenure elongation via the Amaewhule faction legislature, adding that until the court decides, they will continue to fight to ensure that the bill succeeds.
A supporter of Governor Fubara who gave his name as Azubuike Amadi, while speaking to journalists said: “We are ready to resist the evil intentions of Nwanosike and his master in whatever form they want it.”
According to Amadi, the councils’ tenure had expired and it has expired for good while John Agbarakwe condemned what he described as the greed and madness for power of one man who thinks he can hold on to power after leaving office as governor.
“Ikwerre LGA is not meant for Samuel Nwanosike alone,” Agbarakwe said, adding, “Nwanosike has been two-term caretaker chairman and two-term executive chairman,” wondering what he wanted again that would make him to follow his fellow man sheepishly to want to cause illegality of tenure elongation that may eventually result to killing of innocent poor persons.
“We are ever ready to match action with action, fire for fire and in whichever way and manner they want it,” he declared.
At the Obio/Akpor Local Government headquarters, the immediate-past chairman, George Ariolu, had before Tuesday, June 18, held series of meetings with some PDP members loyal to him in his Oginigba Community Town Hall, and charged them to mobilize massively to the council headquarters on that day, insisting strongly that they were leaving nowhere.
Some of his supporters were said to have received his charge of “Massive mobilization” with mixed feelings, as according to them, “It is an unjustifiable charge and dangerous mission.” However, by 6am on that day, those who danced to the dictates of Hon. Ariolu had mobilized themselves to the council including more than 50 thugs hired by the ex-chairman, who also arrived with them, and took charge of the area.
Moments later, the national youth leader, Rivers State Chapter, Amb. Chijioke Ihunwo, who had already made the list as a caretaker chairman of the council, arrived the council headquarters. He was immediately attacked by the supporters and thugs of the ex-chairman.
Amb. Ihunwo who escaped death by the whisker, retreated only to go to various nearby communities like Rumueme, Rumuigbo, Rumuola, Mgbuoba, Rukpokwu, Rumuomasi, Ogbogoro, Choba, etc. to mobilize overwhelming numbers of boys who stormed the council. It was a war zone and a return of ‘fire for fire’. The boys overpowered Hon. George Ariolu’s supporters and thugs and in the process, the ex-council boss escaped as the angry boys bounced on his vehicle and got it vandalized.
Police and other security agencies had a hectic time controlling the ugly situation hence they shot sporadically in the air, teargas canisters were used to dispatch the warring political supporters and thugs. The unfortunate situation lasted throughout the day.
Though no life was lost, many sustained various degrees of injuries while scampering for their safety.
“Never will I allow myself to be deceived politically by my fellow human being,” an aged lady lamented, as she waded through the heavy crowd. “I nearly got stampeded to death because of peanut,” another complaint.
Back home in the various communities, it was learnt that the problem pitched indigenes against non-indigenes with aggrieved and, frustrated indigenes resorting to destroying the wares of non-indigenes whom they accused of not supporting the vision and mission of their masters’ quest to retain the soul of the council(s), especially in Oginigba community. However, with the situation brought under control, all the caretaker chairmen in the 23 local government areas of the state were sworn in next day, Wednesday, June 19, 2024, at Government House, Port Harcourt by Governor Fubara.
While swearing in the caretaker committee chairmen, Governor Fubara said he would continue to do what is right and constitutional to ensure an improvement of the lot of the state, even if it cost him his life.
He charged the caretaker chairmen to apply the best of their ability in accordance with their oath of office.
The newly sworn-in 23 local government caretaker chairmen who, also later swore-in members of their committees on Thursday, June 20, and apportioned portfolios to them, were operating in rented apartments following the barricade of their council headquarters by the police.
National Point visit to Obio/Akpor Council headquarters at Rumuodomaya on Thursday, June 20, 2023, witnessed the presence of a combined team of well-armed security agents comprising the police, DSS, others and their armored tank vehicles cordoned off the entire areas of the council and beyond the council gate and beyond the gate, preventing vehicular movements and pedestrians from using one lane.
It was not possible to take photograph of the scene, but one of the senior police officers who tried and spoke with me briefly said, “We are here on order from above to prevent anarchy that may lead to killing and destruction of properties by politicians and their supporters.” The officer acknowledged the fact that the matter was in court, pointing out that upon the expected court judgment an order to return back to their various divisions, they will move out of the council headquarters.
Earlier, the immediate past chairman of Obio/Akpor LGA, George Ariolu had addressed his supporters gathered at an open space beside the Rumuokoro Market urging them not to lose hope.
“You should not lose hope of gathering here to take stock of members who continued to identify with our struggle,” he said.
He reminded them that the matter is at the Court of Appeal and expressed hope of returning back to the council based on the controversial tenure elongation law.
He thanked them for their continued loyalty, support and patience, assuring them of adequate compensation when the coast is cleared.
All over Rivers State, there is high hope and expectation of winning the case now pending in Appeal Court by both of the warring sides.
A political analyst, Austin Nwankpa told National Point in Port Harcourt, that tenure elongation is unconstitutional and not practicable in Nigeria.
Nwankpa said, “It is the constitutional right and prerogative of the governor to appoint caretaker chairmen pending when he deems it fit to conduct local government election, if he likes,” adding that all the past governors of the state made use of caretakers.
Alluding to the case in court, the analyst noted: “It is going to be 50-50. The new caretaker chairmen appointed by Governor Fubara will be retained while the embattled, 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly led by Martins Amaewhule will be restored to the House.
Meanwhile, Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, RISIEC, has fixed October 5 as the date for local government elections in the state. The Chairman of the commission, Hon. Justice Adolphus Enebeli (Rtd.) disclosed this at a stakeholders’ meeting in Port Harcourt last Monday.
