Fubara sacks Wike’s loyalist as traditional rulers’ chairman

From Tony John, Port Harcourt

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has announced the Paramount Ruler of Apara Kingdom, Eze Chike Worlu Wodo, as the new Chairman of the State Council of Traditional Rulers, following the inactivity and the absence of effective leadership of the council under Eze Ohna Sergeant Chidi Awuse.

Governor Fubara made the announcement at a special meeting he had with members of the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers at the Banquet Hall of Government House in Port Harcourt on Friday.

Eze Chike Worlu Wodo is the Paramount Ruler of Apara Kingdom in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the State.

The governor, in announcing the new chairman, terminated the appointment of the Paramount Ruler of Emohua Kingdom, Eze Ohna Sergeant Chidi Awuse, who, within his statutory one-year tenure as chairman, allegedly failed to promote cordial relationship among members and with the state government. Governor Fubara pointed out that, under Eze Sergeat Awuse, the council produced a calendar for the year 2024, and insulted the state government by deliberately refusing to include the photographs of the governor and the deputy governor.

Fubara noted, such posture among others, clearly demonstrated that the council under that kind of leadership had not, and would never live up to expectations.

He said: “I want the council to live up to its responsibility. From my observation, the council is moribund. So, I can feel that the council, for a while now, has been very inactive. Inactive because, maybe, the chairman has decided not to be responsible as a chairman. I think that is the best way to describe it.

“I am not talking about other things that have been happening. But, I feel there are responsibilities of the chairman, and so far, I have not felt it and you can also attest to that, that you are not seeing that leadership that you expect.”