Governor Siminalayi Fubara has sworn in Caretaker Committee Chairmen for the 23 Local Government Councils of Rivers State.
The governor swore in the chairmen at Council Chambers of Government House, Port Harcourt, on Wednesday morning.
They were earlier screened by the faction of Rivers House of Assembly loyal to the governor.
The tenure of the former chairmen, who are loyal to the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, elapsed on Monday.
owever, there has been crisis in the state as the chairmen attempted to continue in office on the grounds that the Pro-Wike faction of Rivers House of Assembly extended their tenure by six months over the failure of Fubara to conduct elections.
But the governor directed them to hand over power to Heads of Administration, whom he asked to await further directives.
Fubara subsequently transmitted a list of caretaker chairmen to the Assembly, which in turn cleared them.
Below is the full list of the caretaker chairmen:
1. Abua/Odua LGA – Madigai Dickson
2. Ahoada East LGA – Hon. Happy Benneth
3. Ahoada West LGA – Mr. Daddy John Green
4. Akuku Toru LGA – Otonye Briggs
5. Andoni LGA – Reginald Ekaan
6. Asari Toru LGA – Orolosoma Amachree
7. Bonny LGA – Alabota Anengi Barasua
8. Degema LGA – Anthony Soberekon
9. Eleme LGA – Brain Gokpa
10. Emouha LGA – David Omereji
11. Etche LGA – John Otamiri
12. Gokana LGA – Kenneth Kpeden
13. Ikwerre LGA – Darlington Orji
14. Khana LGA – Marvin Yobana
15. Obia/Akpor LGA – Chijioke Ihunwo
16. Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA – Princewill Ejekwe
17. Ogu/Bolo LGA – Evans Bipi
18. Okrika LGA – Princess Ogan
19. Omuma LGA – Promise Reginald
20. Opobo/Nkoro LGA – Enyiada Cookey-Gam
21. Oyigbo LGA – – Gogo Philip
22. Port Harcourt LGA – Ichemati Ezebunwo
23. Tai LGA – Hon Matthew Dike
Meanwhile, the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, has called on the Federal Government to declare state of emergency in the state.
Caretaker Committee Chairman of the party in Rivers, Chief Tony Okocha, made the call during a media briefing in Port Harcourt on Wednesday.
He said, “Rivers State is at war. And the dramatis personae who are responsible for the mayhem that has claimed lives are known.
“The Governor is helpless, the police is helpless. Therefore the APC in Rivers State is calling for a state of emergency in Rivers State as a way of taming the mayhem, the upsurge that is going on in the state. I call on the federal government to act fast in this regard.
“The Local Government Law No. 2, 2024, has already outlawed the use of caretaker committee chairmen, so if by tomorrow, Thursday, June 20, 2024, the court gives its ruling in favour of the chairmen, are we going to have two chairmen in each local government?”
Okocha made the call after Governor Siminalayi Fubara swore in caretaker committee chairmen for the 23 Local Government Areas of Rivers.
The former chairmen whose tenure ended on Monday had argued that they had the right to continue in office for six months in line with the amended Local Government Law.
The faction of Rivers House of Assembly loyal to Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, had amended the law on the grounds that Fubara failed to conduct local government election.
But speaking at a press conference in Port Harcourt, the state capital, Fubara said, ”The law on local government tenure is unambiguous. The court clearly affirmed the position of the law. The law is the law, there is no extension of the local government tenure in it. The court said so.”
Political pundits have described the ongoing developments in Rivers as a battle ground test for the camps of Wike and Fubara.
Daily Trust