Edith CHUKU
Youth president of the Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, Mr. Chimenem Bobo Worlu, has described as unfortunate and alarming, the involvement of youths in the protest at some local government council offices in the state.
As the tenure of the 23 local government chairmen elapsed June 17, TNN gathered that some youths barricaded the Degema, Asari Toru and Akuku Toru local government areas, blocked the gates, insisting that the chairmen must vacate the offices.
In an interview with TNN on Monday, Worlu expressed worry over the development, urging the youths to put in the protest energy into demanding for the prolonged 10,000 Rivers youths employment.
He said the issue of the expiration of tenure of the local government chairmen is a constitutional matter that should be handled as such.
The youth president noted that, “it’s unfortunate and alarming that youths are now been used as tools for bridging peace of the state and the nation at large. The issue of tenure expiration of the local government chairmen and the current government of Rivers State is a constitutional matter, it’s not a youth matter neither is it a protest issue.
“We are all Nigerians; we are not strangers. The Nigeria constitution to the best of my knowledge did not give room for caretaker committee, if there are states where it is allowed that doesn’t make it right nor constitutional.
“In this case, Rivers people are very conversant, knowledgeable about the 1999 constitution as amended. The constitution never gave room for caretaker committee. Also, in government positions there are no vacuum, there must be transition but before you exit an office somebody has to be on ground to take over.
“The governor has not conducted election, he has enough time to do so but he has not conducted election, so how will you be asking duly elected council chairmen with certificate of office to vacate offices?
“They were not appointed; the same process that brought them in should bring in others to take them off, that is what it should be.”
Worlu emphasized that the position of the OBALGA youths was that “the governor should allow the council chairmen to continue their extension of tenure as given to them by their Lord which is the house of assembly.
“The assembly have sat, viewed their reports and asked the governor to conduct election and extend their tenure so that the governor will have enough time to arrange their election.
“We have electoral body in Rivers State which is in charge of that; RSIEC, go to RSIEC today, nobody even hears of RSIEC again in Rivers State, so he has enough time. We are advising that the tenure of the council chairmen be extended because our council secretariat cannot be locked up, the council chairmen are the people reaching out to the grassroot, they are suffering more than the governors of the states and yet as the third tier of government they are been denied access to their offices which means you don’t want the grassroot to function.”
To the protesting youths he said, “protest is not the employment we are seeking for, the former governor of Rivers State, Chief Barr. Nyesom Ezebunwo Wike, lifted the ban for employment of 10,000 youths, interview has been done, screening too and some have even received appointment letters waiting to resume work.
“The governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara who claims to love the youths of Rivers State seized that opportunity for more than one year now, so tell me, a government that has no interest of the well meaning of Rivers youth is now leading the youths to protest instead of giving us employment, we are seeking for employment not protest.
“I advise all youths, Obio/Akpor is a calm local government, we are educated and know how to follow our matters, for other local government they are mobilizing the youths to block the local government on protest, I advise them as well-meaning Nigerians and Rivers people, stay off the streets, go back to your houses, ask the governor to provide jobs.
“He refused to give the youths job because when somebody is in the office and engaged, you cannot leave your duty post to stand on the road on protest, he has seized your opportunity of working, now he calls you out for protest and at the end of the day you go back home still jobless.”
The youth president further called for support for the local government chairmen. He said, “let’s support our local government council chairmen, many of them have performed very well. I use my local government chairman as example, if he is not doing well, everyone knows my person, I will stand on the right path to say Sir, with all due respect you are not doing well. For now Obio/Akpor has not seen anybody who can beat his record. He has done well and we as the youths of the local government, men and women, we are saying that Chief Barr. George Ariolu’s tenure should be extended pending when the state is ready for election.”
Reacting to the protest and shut down of some LGA’s by youths, Worlu stated that, “we won’t be surprised if we see same in Obio/Akpor because we know that what they do is to go and buy people from other local government but if such things arise, look at them critically you will not see ten per cent of Obio/Akpor persons among them, no reasonable Obio/Akpor youth will block council secretariat.”
He added that if anyone blocked the council secretariat on such protest that “the law will take its full course. We are not violent people and nobody has the monopoly of violence, but if they try that, the law will take its course, the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria must be respected, interpreted by law and we believe that the law will speak.”
