Rivers LG crisis: Police ask NULGE to suspend planned protest

The Rivers police command has asked the Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) to suspend its planned protest.

On Saturday, Clifford Paul, president of NULGE in Rivers, had given Kayode Egbetokun, the inspector-general of police, a four-day ultimatum to order officers to vacate the 23 LG secretariats in the state.

Rivers is embroiled in a political crisis over the tenure of local government chairpersons.

The 23 LG secretariats have been barricaded by the police.

Paul had said the police siege at the LG headquarters has prevented NULGE members from accessing their offices. 

In a statement issued on Sunday night, Grace Iringe-Koko, police spokesperson in Rivers, said the command received intelligence of a possible hijack of the protest.

“The police command respects the right to lawful assembly but has received credible intelligence indicating potential infiltration of the planned protest on Monday,” the statement reads.

“Hoodlums plan to hijack the protest and instigate chaos in the state.

“Consequently, the command advises the organisers to suspend the planned protest to avert any possible breakdown of law and order.”

Iringe-Koko, a superintendent of police, said officers have been deployed to the council secretariats to “maintain security until the risk of disruption ceases”.

THE RIVERS LGA CRISIS

Last week, Siminalayi Fubara, governor of Rivers, asked the heads of local government administration to immediately assume control of the 23 council areas of the state.

This followed the end of the three-year tenure of the council chairpersons.

Despite the governor’s directive, some of the former LGA chairpersons reportedly attempted to resume duties at the council secretariat, but were chased away by youths.

The development heightened the political tension in Rivers as residents protested at some of the LGA secretariats in the state.

Police officers fired multiple shots to disperse protesters at the various LGA headquarters.

Subsequently, Fubara swore in new caretaker committee chairpersons in the 23 LGAs. 

In April, the Rivers assembly passed the local government amendment bill into law despite Fubara’s refusal to give his assent.

The amendment empowers the lawmakers, via resolution, to extend the tenure of elected chairpersons of LGAs and councillors, where it is considered impracticable to hold elections before the expiration of their three-year term in office.

The Rivers assembly said the amendment was to ensure that LGA elections were conducted before the expiration of the administration.

Fubara declined assent to the bill, but the assembly vetoed his decision.

However, a court judgment nullified the amendment to the local government law.

The verdict was appealed, and the appellate court is yet to deliver judgment on the matter.

The 27 house of assembly members had said they would resist attempts by Fubara to install caretaker chairpersons in the LGAs.