Barring last minute change of mind, the Rivers State governor, Sim Fubara may direct Heads of Personnel Management in the 23 local governments of the state to take over the leadership of the council, as the tenure of elected chairmen and councilors expires on Monday, June 17.
But being that Monday and Tuesday have been declared public holiday by the federal government, there would be no activities in any of the local governments until Wednesday, June 19.
TNN learnt that the HPMs may get an official directive on or before Tuesday night to take over the affairs of the local governments, pending the emergence of elected local government officials.
At the moment, local governments in about 17 states are being run by persons other than elected council chairmen. In Rivers, the out-going chairmen had made efforts to have their tenure extended, but the effort was thwarted by the courts.
They had taken steps to stay back in office at the expiration of their tenure, believing that the FCT minister to whom they are loyal, was going to use the sacked members of the house of assembly to help them hang on.
One of the chairmen, Samuel Nwanosike of Ikwerre Local Government even threatened the governor to dare him by trying to stop him from continuing in office as chairman after June 17. He had said that his people would protect him and ensure that he stayed on.
But on Sunday, TNN gathered authoritatively that since it was becoming difficult for the state electoral commission to conduct local government elections before now, the HPMs would be mandated to take over, since a vacuum was impossible.
A top government official who confided on TNN also said that it would be interesting to see any of the outgoing chairmen who may want to dare the state by remaining in office a minute after the expiration of their tenure.
The source said “by Wednesday when workers are expected to resume work after the holidays, there is a possibility that HPMs may be told to take over and run the LGAs, until elected officials are elected.”
When reminded about Nwanosike’s threats, the official simply laughed and said “Wednesday is by the corner, let anybody whose tenure has expired try to force himself on the people and we will see what will happen. We don’t have to worry about such things now.”
