A fresh crisis is brewing in Rivers State over the tenure of the 23 council chairmen.
This is just as Niger Delta leader and former militant warlord, Muhajid Asari Dokubo, has asked local government chairmen to accept the end of their three-year tenure and “go home quietly.”
NewsNow recalls that Governor Siminalayi Fubara had instructed the chairmen, supported by Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, to step down when their term ends.
However, they refused, claiming that the pro-Wike faction of Rivers House of Assembly has prolonged their tenure.
The Martin Amaewhule-led Assembly modified the law to allow LG chairmen to extend their term by six months due to Fubara’s alleged failure to hold local government elections.
While speaking at the 2024 Eid-el-Kabir celebrations in Port Harcourt, Asari Dokubo, noted that extending the chairmen’s tenure goes against the Nigerian Constitution.
He stressed that the former chairmen cannot unilaterally prolong their time in office against their oath and expect it to be accepted.
Asari Dokubo, also known as the Edi Abali of Kalabari land, cautioned the former chairmen against provoking the anger of what he termed as the “people’s power,” as it could lead to serious consequences for them.
He said, “Local government tenure has expired today, June 17, 2024. They should quietly go home. If they want to seek re-election in accordance with the constitution, they should do so.
“But there is no tenure elongation in the constitution. Their position is tenure-bound and that tenure has expired. Let them not cause unnecessary problems for the people of the state. And I want to advise young people: look, don’t allow yourselves to be used.”
He continued, “Only one man can be governor of Rivers State at a time. We would not have two governors at a time. The people of Rivers State are bigger than Muhajid Asari Dokubo. Rivers State is bigger than any individual. No individual can take Rivers State people for a ride and pocket us. It is not possible.
“Most of us (them), their (our) children are not here, and their children have never come out to stand in front of any protest. They’re not like Mandela and his children or me and my children or any other person. A lot of people have not done this. So, nobody should be allowed to be used.
“The people are showing people’s power. The people have gone on their own to take over local government secretariats because it is about the people, and nobody can say that we voted for three years’ tenure for a chairman and the chairman should exceed one second of that tenure.
“So, the people of Rivers State are exercising their power, and they are ready to take over until the government is ready to conduct a new election,” Asari concluded.