Legal Battle Spills Onto Streets: Youths Protest Expired Tenure Of Rivers LG Chairmen

• Youths in Degema Protest Expired Tenure Of Rivers LG Chairmen.

• The chairmen, under ALGON, claim a recent amendment to the Local Government Law allows them a six-month extension.

• Governor Fubara warned against actions disrupting state peace, while protesters demanded the chairmen’s immediate departure.

EKO HOT BLOG reports that youths in Degema Local Government Area (LGA) of Rivers State staged a protest at the council headquarters on Monday.

This action comes after the expiration of the tenure for local government chairmen across the state.

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The Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), representing the chairmen, previously vowed to remain in office.

They cite a recent amendment to the Local Government Law passed by the 27 House of Assembly members under the leadership of Speaker Martin Amaewhule.

This amendment reportedly extends their tenure by six months.

ALGON’s chairman for the state, Allwell Ihunda, who also heads Port Harcourt City LGA, insists the amended law allows them to stay in office. However, Governor Sim Fubara has warned the chairmen against actions that could disrupt the state’s peace due to the tenure controversy.

The current tension stems from a disagreement between Governor Fubara and the chairmen, who were elected during the previous administration of Governor Nyesom Wike. According to Punch newspaper, the protesting youths in Degema occupied the council secretariat, chanting slogans and demanding the immediate departure of the chairmen whose terms have expired.

The same scenario reportedly occurred in the Asari-Toru Local Government Area, where youths stormed the council headquarters and occupied the facility.

The youths vowed to remain until Wednesday when work resumes and dared the council chairmen to come to the secretariat.

However, there is a huge security presence in Port Harcourt City Local Government Area and Obio/Akpor LG to prevent security breaches.

The protest is said to have created tension in the state as it will likely spread to other LGs.

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Confirming the protest, the spokesperson for the state police command, Grace Iringe-Koko, said the police are on top of the situation, saying, “Our men were on a show of strength this morning. We are still monitoring the situation, and we want to urge everyone to maintain peace in the state.”

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