In the face of the crisis rocking Local Government (LG) leadership in Rivers State, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, on Tuesday, summoned an emergency security meeting.
This is as unrest and threats emerged from LG Council Chairmen, whose tenure elapsed Monday to invade the council.
The LG chairmen are loyal to Fubara’s predecessor, Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
Fubara had also directed the chairmen to vacate their offices but they refused, citing a six-month tenure extension granted by the pro-Wike faction of the Rivers House of Assembly.
In a statewide broadcast on Tuesday, the Governor directed all the 23 LG chairmen to hand over to the Heads of Administration in their respective councils.
Hours after the broadcast, youths stormed the LG secretariats across the state, blocking the Chairmen from gaining access to their offices.
READ ALSO: Go Home, Your Tenure Has Ended – Asari Dokubo Tells Defiant Rivers LG Chairmen
Supporters of Fubara destroyed Wike’s statue in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, where Wike once served as Chairman, chanting “No more Wike.”
They were protesting attempts by Local Government Chairmen in the State to extend their tenure.
Reacting, Fubara said: “You are all aware that the tenure of the council chairmen ended yesterday, 17th June, 2024, and today, we have ordered the Heads of Local Government Administration to be in charge while they await further directives.
“It’s really unfortunate that we started hearing some disturbing news from some LGAs of invasion of council secretariats, and it is really unfortunate. So, we have called the Security Council Meeting so that the needful will be done.
“We are also aware that our enemy is also planning a lot of things. But we will not fall into that plot. We will not also allow him or them to destroy the peace that we are enjoying in the State.”
