Tension In Rivers As Pro-Wike Lawmakers Order Clamp Down On Fubara’s Top Appointees

Fresh tension is brewing in Rivers State following the new directive given to security agencies by the pro-Nyesom Wike lawmakers in the state Assembly.

The Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Speaker Martins Amaewhule directed the police to arrest individuals falsely claiming to be caretaker committee chairmen for the 23 local government areas.

This action follows Governor Siminialayi Fubara’s failure to disband these unlawful committees despite a Supreme Court ruling mandating their dissolution.

The Assembly’s directive came after reviewing the Supreme Court’s recent judgment, which granted autonomy to local government councils. During their 7th legislative session, lawmakers discussed the ruling’s implications and issued a resolution signed by House Committee on Information Chairman Enemi Alabor George.

The resolution, known as a Public Notice, condemns the ongoing illegal activities of these self-styled caretaker chairmen who continue to impose taxes and levy charges on residents, in violation of the Supreme Court’s decision and the Rivers State Local Government Amendment Law of 2023, which prohibits unauthorized individuals from holding such positions.

The Assembly has called on banks, government entities, NGOs, traditional institutions, and the public to cease interactions with these unauthorized figures. They warn that dealing with these unelected individuals undermines democracy and disobeys the Supreme Court’s orders.

“They are by this notice further informed not to deal or transact business with these unelected individuals, who want to truncate our hard-earned democracy and are currently in contempt of injunctive orders of the Supreme Court.

“The police and other law-enforcement agencies have also been informed to commence the arrest of these impostors,” the House stated.

The lawmakers emphasized that their actions align with Section 7(1) of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantees local government administration by elected councils, and Section 64(1) of the Rivers State Local Government Law of 2018, which authorizes the Assembly to oversee local government affairs through elected officials only.