The Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, has instructed administrative heads to take over the management of the 23 local government areas. This follows the end of the elected council chairmen’s three-year terms on Monday. Governor Fubara announced in a broadcast from Port Harcourt, the state capital. He said this move was in line with the Constitution and necessary to maintain peace and order. Fubara thanked the outgoing council chairmen for their service.
Two local government chairmen, Dame Anengi Barasua Claude-Wilcox of Bonny and Enyiada Cookeygam of Opobo/Nkoro have agreed to step down as required by the Local Government Law of 2018. Both had previously contested the extension of their terms in court.
After a Monday event at the Government House, these former chairmen encouraged their peers to leave office peacefully and respect the law. Meanwhile, the chairmen of Akuku-Toru and Asari-Toru local governments, Rowland Sekibo and Onengiyeofori George, have called for calm amid protests against their tenure extensions. They claimed the extensions were approved by the state assembly and urged their supporters to remain peaceful, noting the issue is being addressed in court.
Sekibo asked everyone to avoid violence, stressing that the case will soon be resolved in the Court of Appeal and potentially the Supreme Court. He also called on law enforcement to maintain order.
