Protesters defy Police, Labour, ALGON warning, stage rally in Port Harcourt
…Rivers people are tired of bloodletting — Protest leader
By Barth Ndubuwah, Port Harcourt
Protesters believed to be sponsored by the outgone council chairmen loyal to the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike have defied series of warnings from the Nigerian Police, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC),Trade Union Congress (TUC) and Association of Local of Nigeria (ALGON) to stage a rally in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
Our Correspondent who monitored the incident, reported that protesters numbering about one hundred thronged Port Harcourt City Council Headquarters, as early as 8am to make good their threats,but were welcomed by stern looking police officers who had since 17/6/2024 barricaded the 23 local government areas in the State in compliance with the directive of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun.
The tenure of the former chairmen elapsed on June 17, 2024, but the outgone council chairmen refused to leave office, citing the extension of their tenure by the former Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon. Martin Amaewhule, a staunch loyalist of Wike.
Amaewhule and 25 others had, in the heat of the political crisis defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), courtesy of the advice of the FCT Minister.
Consequently, the former Speaker and now Chief of Staff to Governor Siminailayi Fubara, RT Hon Edison Ehie declared their seats vacant, in line with the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The Amaewhule faction at the State Assembly rejected the decision of the then Ehie faction and continued sitting outside the Assembly complex, overriding the Governor in all the laws they made, including extension of the life span of the former council chairmen.
This persisted until the new Speaker that took over from Ehie, RT Hon Victor Oko-Jumbo got an injunction from the High Court upholding the sack of Amaewhule and 25 of his colleagues.
The Court also restrained them from parading as lawmakers under any guise.
The sacked lawmakers took the matter to court, which is still pending before the court.
The former chairmen had vowed to implement the extension of their tenure by the embattled faction of the sacked lawmakers, thereby refusing to relinquish power on 17/6/2024 when their tenures officially elapsed.
The Executive Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminilayi Fubara had upon the expiration of the tenure of the former chairmen, appointed Caretaker Committee (CTC) members to man the 23 local government councils,which the former chairmen rejected.
The aftermath of this fracas, necessitated the police, acting on the directives of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, sealed all the 23 local government areas in Rivers State, pending cessation of hostilities by the various groups.
The members of Nigerian Union Local Government Employees (NULGE) however did not find the decision palatable, as they opposed it in its entirety.
Consequent upon that, they planned a protest Monday, that police and well-meaning Rivers people feared could degenerate into anarchy.
The Organised Labour and the Association of Local Government Organisation of Nigeria (ALGON), sensing the sensitivity of the matter and possible implications of such protest, asked NULGE to suspend their action till further notice.
NULGE or better still mixed protesters believed to be acting the script of the former chairmen, former 25 lawmakers and by extension the FCT Minister, Monday defied all the warnings to stage a peaceful protest in Port Harcourt.
Fielding questions from journalists at Port Harcourt City Council Headquarters, one of the leaders of the protesters who did not want his name on print, said they were there to ask the police to maintain the barricade until the court determines the case before it on the tenure of the last council chairmen.
According to him, “Rivers people are tired of bloodletting.”
Citing the incident in Omuma Local Government Area, where a police officer and vigilante personnel lost their lives as a result of supremacy tussle.
Another protester, who identified herself as Rose Worie corroborated what the first speaker said, urging the police to sustain the barricade of the councils, pending the determination of the case on the tenure elongation of the former council chairmen.
The Rivers State Police Command had through a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Grace Iringe-Koko,warned the protesters to desist from carrying out their action, stressing that the Police will not hesitate to arrest and prosecute any law breaker.
The protesters however dared the Police and held the rally, though it was relatively peaceful.
The Association of Local Organisation of Nigeria (ALGON) had also through the newly appointed CTC Chairman of Port Harcourt City, Hon Ezebunwo Ichemati during a press briefing on Sunday cautioned NULGE members across the 23 local government areas from embarking on the planned protest.
His reason was that it could be hijacked by miscreants from the opposing camps.
This was equally the position of the Organized Labour in Rivers State, who spoke Sunday through the Chairmen of NLC,Comrd Alex Agwanwor, TUC, Comrd Ikechukwu Onyefuru and Joint Council (JNC) Chairman , Comrd Chuku Emecheta.
Some of the placards brandished by the protesters read, “Port Harcourt says no to anarchy,” “NLC, TUC, NULGE is compromised,” among others.
