Heads Of LGs, Ex- Chairmen May Clash In Rivers LG Secretariats Monday

• Fubara: I’m Ready To Obey Supreme Court

A clash between former local government chairmen whose tenure expired last year and heads of local governments appears imminent in some of the local government secretariats in Rivers State on Monday.

This will be a direct fall-out of Friday’s Supreme Court judgement which sacked the council chairmen who assumed duties about four months ago.

On Sunday, apart from ordering heads of local governments to take over the affairs of the councils, the governor also said in a state broadcast, that he was ready to obey the Supreme Court judgment as soon he gets the certified true copy, which would give him a clearer picture of the exact orders of the court.

But the former chairmen, especially those of Emohua and Ikwerre, Dr Chidi Lloyd and Samuel Nwanosike respectively, have also vowed to return to the council to assume duties, since the Martin Amaewhule house of assembly had extended their tenure, before the state independent electoral commission conducted the election which outcome has now been annulled.

At the heat of the crisis in the state, a section of the Ikwerre local government secretariat in Isiokpo was razed. There was serious crisis also in Emohua as Lloyd insisted he was still the chairmen.

The duo of Nwanosike and Lloyd are major loyalists of the FCT minister, Nyesom Wike. The fear is that their supporters may attempt to force themselves into the secretariats on Monday, same day that the heads of local governments are expected to take over.

In the broadcast, the governor said he would obey the Supreme Court order and also said since nature abhorred vacuum, it was necessary for the civil servants to take over the local councils, pending when a fresh election would be conducted.

This is part of the broadcast: “Although we disagree with the judgments, we are bound to obey the orders made therein as a law-abiding government. Since inception, we have conducted the affairs of government within the framework of our Constitution, due process and the rule of law.

“While we are not above mistakes because we are humans, we believe that we have not, as a government, done anything deliberately to trample on the rule of law or the hallowed principles of constitutional governance.

“Accordingly, I have had a meeting with my team of lawyers, and they have assured me that the certified true copy of the judgements may be available to them by Friday, 7th March, 2025. I assure you that upon the receipt of certified judgements, we shall study their ramifications and implement them without reservations to move the State forward.

“Furthermore, given the outlawing of caretaker arrangements in the local government system, I hereby direct the Heads of Local Government Administration to immediately take over the administration of the 23 local government councils pending the conduct of fresh elections by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission.”