The Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) has warned against a planned protest by individuals and groups loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, Nyesom Wike against the sealing off of the 23 local government council secretariats in Rivers State.  

Chairman of ALGON Rivers State Chapter, Ichemati Ezebunwo, alongside Secretary of ALGON Rivers State, Anengi Claude-Wilcox, and the 21 other LGA Chairmen, issued this warning during a press conference on Sunday, June 23, 2024 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

ALGON Rivers State Chapter warned that the protest was a sinister plot to cause anarchy and chaos with a view to destabilizing governance, and creating excuse to actualize their design for a state of emergency in the State.

The Association further warned that the protest, which according to it, was being planned by the former Local Government Chairmen, State Assembly members, National Assembly members and other loyalist of Wike were planning the protest against the Nigeria Police in the State is not in the interest of the people of the State.

“We are drawing the attention of the general public to the planned protest by the immediate past Local Government chairmen, former Assembly members, and National Assembly members loyal to the F.C.T Minister, Nyesom Wike, against the Nigeria Police Force manning the 23 Local Government Councils across the State.”

“The planned protest is not in the interest of the Local Government Areas and the state in its entirety; rather, it is a calculated attempt by these enemies of our dear state to paint the state in a bad light, unleash mayhem, and further buttress their inordinate call for the declaration of a state of emergency in our dear State.”

“We emphatically state that we, the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, Rivers State Chapter, and our people, support the police decision to take control and protect all Local Government Council secretariats until further directives on the matter.”

“We want to categorically state that we are not in any way linked to the planned protest, which is detrimental to the progress and well-being of the people of the state, considering the sinister plot by some desperate politicians to take advantage of the guise of protest to cause chaos and destabilize governance in the State.”

“Therefore, we call on all law-abiding citizens of our dear state to disregard this planned protest and go about their lawful businesses.”

The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, PhD had ordered the Police in Rivers State to take control of the LG Council Secretariat pending the decision of the Appeal Court on issues bordering on the tenures of the then local government chairmen in the State, whose tenure expired on Monday, June 17, 2024.

The IGP insisted that allowing both the outgone chairmen and the incoming Caretaker Committee Chairmen and their supporters access to the council secretariats is a recipe for the breakdown of law and order across the State.

ALGON Rivers State Chapter called on the Police and other security agencies to hold the organizers of the protest responsible for any breakdown of law and order, thanking the people of the State for their continued support to the State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, as it strives to sustain its delivery of democratic dividends across the State.

“We wish to place on record that should there be a breakdown of law and order as a result of the planned protest, the organizers and their sponsors, as listed above, should be held responsible.”

“We want to thank the people of Rivers State for their continued support for the Governor of Rivers State, His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, GSSRS, and his administration, which is delivering the enviable dividends of democracy to the people of Rivers State.”

Meanwhile, the former Local Government Chairmen whose tenures expired on Monday, June 17, 2024 have accused the Rivers State Chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), and the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) of bias in the crisis involving the Local Councils in the State.

A former Mayor of Port Harcourt, Allwell Ihunda, at a Press briefing in Port Harcourt, claimed members of NULGE were illegally appointed into the caretaker committees as set up by the Governor in flagrant disregard of the Civil Service laws which requires them to resign their positions.

Also speaking, a former Chairman of Emohua LGA, Chidi Lloyd called on the national leadership of organized labour to weigh in so as to forestall chaos if the planned protest against the police by organized labour and NULGE goes ahead as planned tomorrow.