•Asari Dokubo: Vacate office • CP warns troublemakers, vows to protect lives, property
From Tony John, Port Harcourt
There is palpable fear in Rivers State following a trending video of armed men, who said they were prepared to ensure the exit of local government council chairmen, whose tenure expired yesterday.
Already, youths have occupied some of the local government headquarters, chanting that the chairmen should go.
In Degema and Asari-Toru local government areas, youths had taken over the headquarters, insisting that they would occupy the council secretariats until work would resume after the two-day public holiday to mark the Muslim festivities. They are youths that are against the elongation of the tenure of the council chairmen.
In Port Harcourt City and Obio/Akpor Local Government Areas, security has been beefed up to forestall any breakdown of law and order.
But, in the viral five-minute, seven seconds video clip, some armed men were seen crossing the creek.
The leader of the group declared that they were back from the river ahead and prepared for resistance from any council chairman that would refuse to vacate office.
Donning a black polo cloth engraved with G. ASABUJA, the leader said: “Today is Saturday, June15, I am back from the river, the creek; preparing and about to take over local government areas on Wednesday, because Monday and Tuesday are public holidays.
“We are back to take over all the 23 local government councils. So, the council chairmen should wait for us. We are coming.
“It is my hobby and business to work with the government, to relate to the government to fight crime. Those who said the government will not drink water and keep cups, we will join hands and follow them anyhow they want it.
“I work with the Joint Task Force; I am in charge of anti-bunkering, South-South. I have come back home. Half of my men are back. We are taking over all the local government areas.
“But, for now, we are enjoying ourselves, flexing, and preparing for Wednesday. I am hosting my boys for Wednesday. So, let all the caretakers be prepared to host my boys on Wednesday. You have entered.”
The leader specifically called on the chairman of Ikwerre LGA, Samuel Nwanosike, to expect them, adding that he (the group leader) would be present at the council secretariat.
“Nwanosike Ishi, wait for us on Wednesday. I volunteer to come to Ikwerre Local Government Area. I will be there. Wait for us, there is no problem. You’ll learn how to respect elders and authority.
“Let me go and see my boys, my soldiers. We want to prepare for Wednesday. We are ready.”
The leader, thereafter, was seen distributing drinks to a group of entertainers within the vicinity.
Daily Sun gathered that Governor Siminalayi Fubara has sent names of a seven-man caretaker committee of the 23 LGAs to the House of Assembly led by Victor Oko-Jumbo for screening and confirmation.
The council chairmen and House of Assembly members loyal to the Minister of the Federal Territory, Nyesom Like, have been at loggerheads with the governor.
Meanwhile, the Police Commissioner, Olatunji Disu, has declared his preparedness to protect lives and property in a bid to reassure members of the public of Police’s commitment to maintain law and order.
Disu, who spoke to journalists at the Command’s Headquarters, Moscow Road, Port Harcourt, warned trouble-makers to shun any planned violence emphasising that anyone found doing so would face the full wrath of the law.
He appealed to parents to caution their children against getting involved in the crisis, warning that they should not be used as “cannon fodder.”
The Police boss vowed to protect all government property and human lives and ensure a safe and secure environment for all.
“My job as a policeman is to protect lives and property. And that is what we have gone out to do since morning.
“We are aware of the crisis that has to do with the tenure of the local government chairmen and we have gotten one court order or the other, and the Court of Appeal has given an order for everybody to exercise restraints till the 20th of this month (June), just three days.
“So we expect everybody to respect it and not take laws into their hands and allow peace to continue as it is.”
He assured that his officers were working around the clock to safeguard the property and lives of residents of the State.
“Sincerely, you know our officers have been out for the past three days.
“I just finished addressing them and I thank them for the good job they have done; and because they have been out since 4am, and they just came back, we are not taking it lightly, we are ready to go.
“Our officers have been on a show of force and we have had additional men given to us from the Headquarters, the equipment has been serviced and we are ready to go.
“This is just to assure members of the public that so far as we are concerned, we are ready to do our jobs of protecting lives and property.
“We have warned anybody who would want to take laws into their own hands. I want to use this opportunity to talk to parents to call their children to order and talk to them so that their children will not be used as cannon folds in this crisis.
“Everything that has to do with government property and every human being in this community would be protected.”
Meanwhile, Muhajid Asari Dokubo, has advised the LG chairmen to accept the end of their three years’ tenure in good faith and resist creating crisis.
Speaking while flanked by stakeholders of the Muslim community in Rivers State as part of activities to mark the 2024 Eid-el-Kabir celebrations, in Port Harcourt, yesterday, Asari Dokubo, said tenure elongation was an aberration to the Constitution of Nigeria.
He stated that the chairmen cannot force on themselves any extension of time that runs contrary to the oath of office they swore to, and be tolerated.
Dokubo, who is also the Edi Abali of Kalabariland, warned the former chairmen not to invite the wrath of what he called, the people’s power, because it would descend on them to their dismay.
“Local Government tenure has expired today (17th June, 2024). They should quietly go home. If they want to seek re-election in accordance with the Constitution, they should go and seek re-election.
“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, that: look, don’t allow yourselves to be used.”
Asari Dokubo said young Rivers people must know and understand what their roles are in protecting the State against those self-seeking individuals who think that it is their private estate.
Making reference to a popular radio jingle on Radio Rivers: “Love Rivers State or leave her alone. Don’t pull her down. Think what you can do for her, engage yourself in meaningful activities…”, Asari Dokubo insisted that the state is bigger than one individual.
“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 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 body. 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 the local government secretariat 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 people’s power, and they are ready to take over until the government is ready to conduct a new election.”