——-as Police takes over council secretariats
Following the refusal of the out-gone council chairman to vacate their offices, some lawmakers in the House of Representatives under the aegis of G-60 have called for the trial of the 21 former local government chairmen.
The group led by the lawmaker representing Ideato North/Ideato South Federal Constituency in Imo State, Ikenga Ugochinyere, made the demand at a press conference held at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja.
The lawmakers accused the former council bosses of forcefully trying to retain their seats after the constitutional expiration of their three years in office.
They also called on the Rivers state government to immediately prepare treason charges against the local government chairmen and their sponsors over the committal of the alleged act.
The lawmakers accused the former council chairmen of breaching the provisions of the constitution which frowns at anybody or group of persons that attempts to unlawfully occupy the position of power in the country or forcefully attempt to take over government in any part of Nigeria.
They also expressed disappointment over the alleged attempt by the former local government chairmen to use magistrates/judges from neighbouring states to conduct a swearing-in ceremony on Tuesday morning after their tenure expired on Monday
Police take over 23 Council Secretariat in Rivers State
The Rivers State Police Command says it has taken over the 23 Local Government Councils following the alleged breakdown of law and order in the various Council secretariats.
The Police Public Relations Officer in Rivers State GRACE IRINGE-KOKO said this in a statement following the killing of a Police officer and a vigilante in Eberi-Omuma in Omuma Local Government Area.
The statement noted that the Police have deployed conventional police officers and anti-riot police officers to the council secretariats.
The Command also warns anyone who intends to cause mayhem will face the full weight of the law on them.
The statement also asks law-abiding residents and visitors in the state to go about their lawful businesses without fear.
The Rivers State Police Command also expressed their resolve to carry out our constitutional duty of protecting lives and property.
Labour Party, YPP tasks former council chairmen to leave office
The Labour Party in Rivers State says the refusal of the immediate past Local Government Council Chairmen to peacefully vacate their offices at the expiration of their statutory three-year tenure is disappointing and a potential indication of anarchy.
The Spokesman of the Labour Party in Rivers State, Gogo Wellington regretted that the action of twenty-one out of the twenty-three LGA Chairmen is capable of disrupting the fragile peace Rivers people are currently enjoying
The spokesman of the Labour Party in Rivers State, Gogo Wellington indicated the willingness of the Party to participate in the next Local Government Council election and advised the government to prepare to conduct the LGA election
In the same vein, the governorship candidate of the Young Progressives Party YPP in the 2023 governorship election in Rivers State, Danagogo Wenike-Briggs has advised the outgone council chairmen in the state to vacate office.
Danagogo Wenike-Briggs in a chat with our Correspondent, Peter Henry Dee, termed the refusal of the outgone Council chairmen as an affront to the office and authority of the governor.
Danagogo Wenike-Briggs further warned that the disposition of the outgone council chairmen may lead to discord in the state.
He however charged youths in the state to maintain peace and refuse to be used by politicians to cause unrest in the state
