The lyrics of the “Gwo, Gwo Ngwo” music of the iconic Mike Ejeagha which though he sang in the 80’s but just started trending again of recent really captured what transpired in Rivers State, culminating to members of the Action Peoples Party (APP) which has elephant as its logo dancing to the local government councils in the state.
In summary, the message of the music was how the tortoise with its smallish frame was able to trick the giant elephant into getting to the King’s palace with a promise to be crowned chairman of the King’s ceremony and which eventually happened.
Curiously the music was adopted as the campaign song of members of the APP when they moved to every locality in the State to seek for peoples votes.
The official movement of the council chairmen to their council secretariat which commenced on Monday October 7, 2024 following their swearing in a day before, was initially viewed as an unachievable goal due to the political upheavals in the State.
IN THE BEGINNING:
It all started on June 17, 2024 when the State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara asked the 23 elected local government Chairmen who came into office in 2021 during the tenure of Chief Nyesom Wike as Governor of the State to vacate their seats because they had served out their three-year term of office.
Angered by the governor’s directive, some of them started calling him (Fubara) names, in public, but the governor just swallowed the insults and waited patiently for the D-day to come. They were banking the support of the Martins Amaewhule-led House of Assembly Speaker who quickly passed a bill to the effect that the tenure of the local government chairmen had been extended by six months.
June 17, 2024 which some of them thought would never come eventually dawned and by the early hours of that day, the governor showed them red card.
Without minding the recalcitrant attitude some of them put up, the governor insisted that they must leave as their term of office had officially elapsed.
Fubara who knows how to play the ace card quickly announced the appointment of Caretaker Committee Chairmen (CTC) to take over from them because nature abhors vacuum. The most interesting part of the appointments he made was that he picked their strong loyalists, who knew their weaknesses and strength to replace them, thus weakening their folds. The only people who were spared from this seeming hurricane that blew across the State that time were Anengi Barasua Claude-Wilcox and Enyidaa Cookey-Gam of Bonny and Opobo/Nkoro local government areas respectively.
The reason is that while the rest carried on without executing any project in their localities, these two were busy doing meaningful things for their people. When the governor even directed the council Chairmen to hand over to the administrative heads in their councils, these two quickly complied while the rest were busy addressing all manner of Press Conferences as well as issuing Press Statements to the effect that their tenure which they claimed was extended six months based on the bill passed the Rivers State House of Assembly.
Fubara argued that what they were banking on was unconstitutional as the law does not have room for extension of offices of duly elected council chairmen.
Police quickly sealed off all the council secretariats in the State for security reasons, thus preventing the CTC chairmen from accessing their offices. But the CTC Chairmen were not deterred as they all found alternative places to run their councils from and which the governor told them on the day they were sworn in that they would be in office just for three months, when election would be conducted for council chairmen.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT AUTONOMY OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
Shortly after swearing in these CTC Chairmen, the federal government came up with the issue of local government autonomy. The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Tunde Fagbemi who announced this also made it known that States that do not have elected council chairmen would stop receiving allocations from the federal government.
This magazine gathered that since virtually all the state governments were guilty of running their administrations on CTC arrangement, they quickly met with President Bola Tinubu to plead for time to enable them conduct local government election. The President was said to have given them a deadline of October 31, 2024 to do the election.
Based on this, Fubara and the Chairman of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), Justice Adolphus Enebeli (rtd) announced that the local government election would hold on October 5, 2024. Fubara also directed RSIEC to begin to put its house in order for the conduct of the election.
It should be pointed out here that Justice Enebeli was appointed by the former governor Wike, now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Ordinarily, Fubara would have sacked Enebeli since he was appointed by his political god-father now turned political enemy, but he retained him.
BUILD UP TO THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTION/ LEGAL FIREWORKS.
While RSEIC and the state government were getting things ready for the exercise, Wike and his men quickly went and conducted ward, local government and state congresses of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against Court injunction restraining them from doing that on August 31, 2024. At the end, Aaron Chukwuemeka emerged as the State Chairman of PDP. Wike also succeeded in planting his men in all the offices at the ward and local government areas, thus sidelining Fubara and his own men. He even boasted that nobody can destroy his structure and also threatened to cause crisis in the State of any PDP governor who supports Fubara.
Observers say that it is surprising that the National Working Committee of PDP quickly supported what Wike did. But Fubara in his taciturn nature looked the other side and did not utter a word of protest on what happened.
Verbatim gathered that Fubara called the CTC Chairmen to defect to APP and run the local government election on that platform and leave PDP for Wike and his men. They complied. This decision did not go down very well with those opposed to the political party which they saw as a “small party.” Observers say this may perhaps be the reason the office of APP in Port Harcourt was attacked twice before the election.
Some supporters of Fubara headed to the High Court in Port Harcourt and obtained a ruling for the governor to go ahead with the local government election.
Wike’s men were incensed by this and they were said to have beseeched several Federal High Courts in Abuja and obtained all manner of injunctions to restrain Fubara from conducting the local council polls.
However, some lawyers argued that Wike and his men were embarking on futile exercise because RSIEC is an agency of state government, created by the State House of Assembly. Therefore, it is only the State High Court that can rule on matters affecting the electoral commission in the state first and foremost.
Due to their political interest of wanting to kick Fubara out of office, the All Peoples Congress (APC) at the federal level teamed up with the state PDP to cause troubles for Fubara as there was hardly a week either of the two parties did not obtain court order to stop the election. Yet Fubara did not budge.
INEC AND ITS ANTICS
When Wike’s men saw the seriousness and insistence of RSIEC on holding the election on the October 5th date, they came up with court order restraining Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from releasing the Voters’ Register to the electoral commission of Rivers State, which is a pre-requisite for the conduct of the local election.
This prompted the REC in Rivers State, Mr Alalibo Sinikiem to announce that the commission had not given RSIEC the voters’ register.
Enebeli, the Chair of RSIEC and a retired Justice countered this saying “I am someone who usually starts his journey very early. So I have obtained the voters’ register since last year.”
The REC again denied giving RSIEC the document. This time around, RSIEC tendered the correspondences it exchanged with INEC, leading to the issuance of the voter’s register to it, assuring electorates that the polls would hold on October 5, 2024.
PROTEST BY APC AND PDP.
Having failed to stop the election through their numerous court orders, members of PDP and those of factional APC in the State led by Chief Tony Okocha staged protest march on October3, 2024. The heavy rain that fell in Port Harcourt that day did not deter them as they were all drenched in the heavy outpour.
They marched from the PDP Secretariat on Aba Road to DSS office in Old GRA and from there to the Police Headquarters on Moscow Road, all in Port Harcourt metropolis. According to them, the march was to register their protest against the election, which they had consistently said they were not going to participate in.
Yet, RSIEC continued its planning of the election insisting that the commission had no legal encumbrances to stop the election.
POLICE ABSTAINS FROM THE ELECTION:
Later that day, Police in the State through its Spokesperson Grace Iringe-Koko, a Superintendent of Police issued a statement that they were obeying the Federal High Court order and therefore they would not be part of the election. The State government called their bluff.
INVASION OF RSIEC OFFICE BY POLICE
However, a day to the election, a detachment of Mobile Policemen led by ACP in charge of Operations was deployed to the Aba Road office of RSIEC to invade the place and possibly cart away electoral materials from there.
On getting the information, Fubara was said to have quickly moved there at the wee hours of the morning of October 4, 2024 to prevent the Policemen who were suspected to have come from a neighbouring Imo State, from carrying out their nefarious assignment.
Briefing the Press at about 9am on that October 4, 2024, the governor said that he got a security report early that morning that the RSIEC office had been invaded by the Nigerian Police.
Fubara said that he was really surprised because before that time, he had received a copy of a signal withdrawing police officers that were guiding the premises of RSIEC.
“So, I had to drive to the place myself, since the facility belongs to Rivers State government. On getting there and to the shock of everyone who escorted me there, I met the presence of some fierce looking policemen in one truck and three other empty vans trying to force their way into the premises and I had to stop them.
In the cause of the process, we discovered that the movement was a deliberate attempt by the Nigerian Police Force both the headquarters and the Rivers Command to steal the electoral materials. But by the special grace of God, that act was foiled.”
Throwing some posers as well as seemingly answering them, Fubara said:
“What is RSIEC? It’s a facility, it’s an agency, and it is a process that is being controlled by the state government. It is a process, a system that the law of the State governs.
“Why is Rivers State case different?
“The second question is what is the special thing about this issue of taking over the RSIEC premises?
“If we should go by what they claim that they have a court order, the court ruling said don’t give RSIEC voters register, don’t give RSIEC police protection. Did the judgment say seal the premises? Don’t allow them conduct election.
“However, the Rivers State Government and the RSIEC itself also had a judgement that states clearly that the election should be conducted with the voters’ register of 2023. The order also mandated the Police, DSS, Nigerian Army and other sister agencies to provide security for the exercise.
“I might not be a lawyer but I understand clearly that when it comes to issue of judgement, there is something they call first in time. So, what is this special interest about the Federal High Court judgment?
“Why are they looking for a way to stampede this state? The Supreme Court gave a judgement that all local government activities must be coordinated by elected local government officers.
“The President of the Federal Republic and the state governors agreed that compliance to this judgement should be in 90 days with effect from the judgment and every other state is conducting elections to ensure that they comply with the directive of not just the Supreme Court but also the understanding that we had with Mr. President.
“And what Rivers State is also doing is not different from that. And the question is, is any other court bigger than the Supreme Court? “
Going further, Fubara explained that he would not like to join issues with the judge because he had his reasons, “but the question is, after the incident that happened in Nigeria, in June 12, 1993, the Supreme Court ruled that when it comes to the issue of election, no court should stop the process of the election.
“If you feel aggrieved and you don’t want to participate in the election, you go to court. Why do you want to stop the process of election?; to create problem and anarchy in the state?
“We are already complaining of suffering, people are hungry and you want to stampede the civil servants at the local government in the state.
He further stated that he was assuring Nigerians and the peace- loving people of Rivers State that government had done everything needed and would ensure that the election went ahead.
On the issue of voters’ register, the governor said that “RSIEC has already informed us that they have the register, so why would the election not hold?
“On the issue of security, if the police feel they won’t be part of the election, they should withdraw. I’m saying this here so that the Inspector General of Police will be aware, and to also know that any act against this, will bring the situation of lawlessness in this state, and I think at the end of the day, he should be prepared to take responsibility.”
Continuing, he sought to know why the case of Rivers State is different,” is it that the law or the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, when it comes to Rivers State it is interpreted in a different way?
“Local government is the affairs of the state government, there is no federal institution that can dictate in any form the way and manner our local government system should be operated talk less of coming to tell us that we can’t do election or otherwise.”
Despite all these, he declared that any attempt by anyone or any sister agency to stop this election, would be resisted adding that Rivers State would not be put in a state of anarchy where the system of local government administration will be suspended because of the protection of one person’s interest.
He also used the occasion to thank “all the wonderful, peace- loving and fearless people of Rivers State who came out this morning to support us and to tell the Nigerian Police that enough is enough.
The governor insisted that he did not have to invite the Nigerian Police to monitor the election because their “ responsibility is to maintain peace and order” adding that “there is no court in this country that I know that will give you an order to be an enemy to a state.
“So am surprised that the police have decided to be enemy to Rivers State. But I want to believe that this information that we are getting and this action you are talking is not coming from the right source. If that is the truth, you better correct yourself.”
“Let me also say this, the election on Saturday is sacrosanct. We must join hands together to make sure that that election holds. We will also make sure that after the election, the winners of the election will be sworn-in and they will commence the activities of administering the local government.
“We are not crying to the world or the international Community, we want the world to know that we are prepared.
“Once in a lifetime of everyman, you need to stand and make decision. And even if it will take your life, history will not forget you.
“We talk about Martin Luther King today, because he stood for the truth, and if am going to be that Martin Luther King of Rivers State, so be it.”
RIVERS YOUTHS MOBILZE TO GUARD RSIEC
Following the unsuccessful attempt by the Police to invade RSIEC and their decision not to be part of the election, youths of Rivers State quickly mobilized to the place to secure the staff and electoral materials meant for the election. They were led by the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Dr Edison Ehie and a House of Representatives member, Boma Goodhead.
There in front of INEC, the youths mounted canopies, brought caterers who were cooking serving them food as they ate, drank and gyrated with all manner of solidarity songs in praise of Fubara and RSIEC even as they derided and dared Wike and his supporters to come out.
These youths were there from that Friday throuh Saturday till all the electoral materials and the staff of the commission had left office before they went to their respective wards and units to take part in the election.
Surprisingly, despite that RSIEC is adjacent to Bori Camp, the headquarters of 2 Amphibious Brigade of the Nigerian Army on Aba Road, the soldiers did not look in the direction of the commission which is separated by a very low demarcation.
On a visit there, Verbatim noticed that the soldiers mounting security for their camp never looked in the direction of RSIEC but just focused on their own gate with their hands on the trigger.
The gyrating youths also stayed on their own lane despite that their presence caused a serious traffic snarl on that side of Aba Road.
PDP AND APC MARCHED AGAIN
When the pro-Fubara group had left and the RSIEC office locked the pro-Wike group of PDP and APC marched out in their numbers and protested in front of RSIEC office insisting that they were not part of the election. They also accused the commission of not conducting any election because “we cannot see anybody here and no election is taking place here.”
Reacting to this their claim, a staff of RSIEC told Verbatim Magazine on grounds of anonymity that, “this is where they have got it wrong again. RSIEC does not have a polling unit even the INEC does not have any polling unit in or around its office. Anyway, they came late because we started this exercise early enough and ensured that we concluded the movement of staff and materials on time because our Chairman believes in prompt and precision delivery of assignments.”
REACTIONS PRIOR TO THE ELECTION
The tension the election generated prior to the voting day, naturally elicited some reactions. The former President of Nigeria, Dr Goodluck Jonathan in his reaction cautioned for peace noting that the political happenings in Rivers State in the past days “is a cause for serious concern for everyone, especially lovers of democracy and all actors within the peace and security sector of our nation.”
While pointing out that “elections are the cornerstone of democracy because they are the primary source of legitimacy, he added that the “process renews the faith of citizens in their country as it affords them the opportunity to have a say on who governs them.”
RIVERS ROYAL FATHERS
In a statement issued by the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers and signed on their behalf by their Chairman, His Majesty, King Chike Anderson Worlu Wodo, the Eze Oha Apara (IV), they expressed concern over the attempt by some “rogue” Policemen to break into RSIEC office to cart away electoral materials meant for the election.
The royal fathers who are also custodians of the traditions of the people also expressed disappointment with the decision of the Nigerian Police to shun the election and urged President Tinubu to call the Police to order “so that they do not, by their actions which are now clearly partisan, cause trouble in Rivers State.”
They also told Tinubu “to call to order, any person or group of persons, trying to use the Police to cause a breach of peace in Rivers State, because if Rivers State is allowed for whatever political interests to return to the dark days of disorder, the nation will be the ultimate loser.”
To the politicians across the divides, the traditional rulers charged them “not to burn down the State because of their selfish political interests. Because if they destroy the State today, there will be no place with which to build their political structures for the realization of their future political ambitions.”
While calling on the residents of the State not to be cowed by threats of violence from enemies of the State, they urged eligible voters to go out en masse and cast their votes for chairmen and councillors that would run the 23 local councils of the state for the next three years.
They further urged RSIEC to be firm in conducting the elections in line with global best practices even as they told Fubara to continue to follow the path of peace despite “unwarranted provocative action from enemies of the State.”
NBA AFFIRMS PREPAREDNESS AS OBSERVERS FOR RIVERS LG POLLS
The leadership of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Rivers State in its own reaction promised that its members will be participating fully as observers in the election “because there is no legal impediment against it.”
In a communique, signed by all eight chairmen of the Branches of NBA in Rivers State, the Chairperson of Port Harcourt Branch of NBA, Cordelia Eke, said “it is trite that statutory bodies cannot be stopped from performing their constitutional duties” as local government elections are part of the democratic process of Nigeria as provided for in the 1999 constitution as amended of the Federal Republic of Nigeria..
She emphasised that because it is sanctioned by law, the local government election in Rivers State cannot be an exception insisting that the exercise had no legal issues.
“As we all know, there are several court judgments on the Rivers State local government election issue which are already widely circulated in the social media.
Continuing, Eke said: “Sadly, most of these judgments are from courts of coordinate jurisdiction, and have been subject to diverse interpretations.”
She reiterated that the constitution of Nigeria is the grundnorm from which all government agencies and institutions derive their validity and are bound to obey same emphasizing that “any law or judgment that is inconsistent with the provisions of the constitution is null and void, to the extent of its inconsistency.”
Furthermore, Eke pointed out that “security agencies have the constitutional duty of maintaining law and order in the country, but if they choose to abdicate their constitutional role, then, it ridicules our democracy and our constitution” and she therefore, encouraged all residents of Rivers State, who are registered voters to go out on election day and exercise their franchise in a peaceful manner.
FORMER NIPR NATIONAL PRESIDENT
In his own reaction the former National President of Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Amaopusenibo Bobo Sofiri Brown urged people to support the local government election noting that Rivers State is one of the over 10 States that had local CTC in place by July 2024.
Many of these States, Brown said have conducted their local government elections “without undue interference by Abuja High Courts or Police directives.”
The former NIPR President who recalled that the immediate governor of Rivers State, Wike appointed the current members of RSIEC during the twilight of his administration and the commission in its capacity as a body mandated to conduct local government election, it announced in July that it would hold the election on October 5, 2024.
Since RSIEC made that announcement and consequently confirmed that every necessary step had been put in place to achieve a free and fair election, most of the functioning political parties in the State had indicated their support of the local government elections.
Commending this development as a salutary departure from past experiences with local government elections or any other for that matter and which subsequently attracted support of a coalition of Civil Society groups for the exercise, Brown at the same time expressed concern that the group “gave coherent and troubling reasons that suggest very strongly their patriotic effort to expose the monkey hands in Abuja that seem to conjure stormy weather for Rivers State since November 1, 2023.”
The trend of events in Rivers State, he noted should show to all Nigerians that the people of the state are largely united in their common desire to make a firm break with the old political environment that was in place up to October 30 2023.
He further condemned “an environment of “might is right”, oppression and monopoly of our State revenue by a few who surround one strong man which has made the state poorer and kept Rivers people enslaved.
All the same, he urged people to be of good cheer as what happened to the Biblical Pharaoh would soon befall on all those who do not want Fubara to govern the state in peace.
RIVERS POLITICAL LEADERS
Reacting to the clamour by Wike’s men to shelve the election, Rivers State Political Leaders and Elders said no to that and commended Fubara for his doggedness and strong efforts to ensure the smooth conduct of the local government elections in the State despite distraction intended to slow down his pace.
The Political leaders include former Governor, Sir Celestine Omehia; former Deputy Governor, Engr Tele Ikuru; Senator Lee Maeba; former Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Sir Austin Opara; former Minister of Transport, Dr Abiye Sekibo; and former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus.
Speaking on behalf of the group in Port Harcourt, former Governor of Rivers State, Sir Celestine Omehia commended the governor for his efforts in improving the state for ensuring that the local government polls would take place.
Omehia noted that election is the exercise of the fundamental rights of the people recalling that the Supreme Court ruling has bestowed on the governor like his counterparts in other states, the responsibility to conduct the local government election.
He, therefore, urged Rivers people, including those living and doing business in the State, to participate in the polls and exercise their civil rights adding that “those who want the local government election postponed, are the real enemies of the State and should be publicly declared as such.”
ON THE ELECTION PROPER
The D-day, October 5, 2024 finally came and people of the State trooped out in the numbers in all their localities to go and cast their votes peacefully even with the conspicuous absence the Police.
It must be pointed out that there were pockets of disturbances in some areas during the exercise but youths in those areas were able to resist them. For instance in YKC area of Woji, Obio/Akpor LGA, some miscreants wanted to disorganize the voting but those who genuinely came out to vote chased them away while the electoral officers conducted the election.
In the words of Fyneface Dumname, a Political Analyst/ Environmental Activist, “there were pockets of gunshots in some areas but generally, the exercise was peaceful.”
After casting his vote in Bonny, Boma Wellington enthused that the “exercise is peaceful and well-organised. The way the whole thing took place I would suggest that we may not need the Police in our future elections. The materials arrived on time, which is quite different from what we used to have when INEC conduct elections.
“I would suggest that Justice Enebeli should either replace the current INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahood Yakubu or be drafted to go and teach him how to conduct peaceful election.”
RESULT OF THE ELECTION
Announcing the result of the election, Justice Enebeli said that the outcome the election has “made a profound statement that the ballot paper in the hands of the people is stronger than arms and ammunition”.
He declared the candidate of the Action Alliance (AA) party, Uzodinma Nwafor, as winner of the chairmanship seat of Etche Local Government Council while the rest 22 local government councils were won by members of APP.
Enebeli said: “We can see that Rivers people and residents in their overwhelming majority of opinion have given veracity of vindication to RSIEC avowed position to conduct a free, fair, credible, transparent, all-inclusive, violence-free, successful and treasured election by the Treasure Base of the Nation, Rivers State, without police or security agencies.”
Rivers State has 319 wards with 6,366 polling units and 18 political parties, including the Rivers State faction of the APC took part in the election. Enebeli who announced the result said that out of the 319 political wards, the Action Peoples Party (APP) won 314 councillorship positions while other parties clinched a win for the remaining five positions.
RSIEC Chairman provided the representation as APP winning 314 councillorship seats, APC secured a seat in Okrika Ward 3, Boot Party secured one seat in Ahoada West; Labour Party won a seat in Ward 3, while the Social Democratic Party and Young People’s Party secured a seat each in three other local government areas.
Enebeli reiterated that without any sense of immodesty that “the election that took place, conducted by us and the results, make a vocal statement to Rivers State and Nigerian nation that the ballot papers in the people’s hand is stronger than arms and ammunition.”
In compliance with Section 59 of the RSIEC Law No. 2 of 2018 Enebeli presented Certificates of Return to the 23 Chairmen and Vice Chairmen-elect in the local government election.
SWEARING IN CEREMONY OF THE LOCAL COUNCIL CHAIRMEN
Following the announcement of the winners of Chairmanship election of the local government polls, the governor decided to swear them in on Sunday, October 6, 2024 at Government House, Port Harcourt.
Fubara said at the swearing in ceremony that with the local government council election now over, the State has now entered into a season of transformation where democracy will not only thrive but the people shall witness delivery of democratic dividends that satisfy their aspirations.
He acknowledged with great delight the support of Rivers people in the fight to salvage the local government system in the State which according to him is at the precipice of doom because of the activities of some distractive political forces that wanted a grip on it.
He said that the pressure to destroy the local government system in Rivers State became intense three days before the Election Day when an attempt was made to invade the headquarters of the RSIEC.
The Governor said, “But the truth remains, desperate situations require desperate measures. We were confronted with a situation where the local government of this State was heading to doom.
“And the truth about it is, because of the genuine love that we have for this State, we must salvage the local government election.
“And what we did, with the support of Rivers people, was to salvage the local government council. And to the glory of God, that has been done and dusted.”
Continuing, Fubara said with the elections now over, the remainder of the years in office, his administration will not deploy any form of undemocratic ways to confront or fight anybody.
He assured that, rather, he will continue to use the means of peace to ensure that the assets of Rivers State are protected adding that, “we will assure the Federal Government that we are not going to be party to anything leading to breakdown of law and order in this State.”
The reason, he said is “because we know quite alright that if there is breakdown of law and order in this State, Nigeria will suffer, and we are not going to be party to it. That is the reason why our standard, in terms of maturity, was high.”
He then charged the newly sworn-in chairmen to ensure that they remain connected with the people in their council areas urging them to emulate his approach to peace so that they could be more patient with people and the situation without being violent.
He added, “For the newly sworn-in Chairmen, I want you to see yourselves as servants. Once you see yourself as emperor, that is where the problem begins. Once you see yourself as the one who knows it all because of the power of the fund available to you, that is where you will start seeing crisis.
“But see this opportunity as a call to service. It is an opportunity for you to bring people together and to deliver to the people of Rivers State. We need development in the 23 local government areas.”
Fubara said a few things may have happened in terms of provision of critical infrastructure and other levels of development, but added that more needed to be done.
He stated why they need to see themselves as ambassadors of good leadership, and truly be well disposed to representing their people as their elected officers.
He stressed: “Represent them well. Work for the betterment of your local government. Ensure that you are a servant leader. Open your doors, embrace everyone, and I assure you, that nothing is bigger and greater than that.
“That is the structure. When you work for the people, when you bring them in, when you help them, there is nothing bigger than that. So, that will be the ingredient of this administration.”
The governor further disclosed to them that he was aware that his detractors were mobilising 20 people per political unit with the instruction to attack them when they report to their various council secretariats to resume duties but advised the chairmen not to confront the situation, should it happen or fight anybody.
He said: “Please, if they are coming with violence, avoid them. The peace of this State is too important to us. It is public knowledge, everybody knows what they are planning. But please, I want to beg every one of you, follow my approach. At the right time, you will always win, if you are patient and calculative.”
He also reminded them that his administration had made promises to Rivers people that they will be led to the Promised Land of greater development in an egalitarian society where everybody is equal and urged them to key into that commitment, which will help them to work with so much enthusiasm as if the government will be ending the next day.
Governor Fubara further warned them against greed, pointing out that to amass wealth indiscreetly “because the tendency to getting everything will make them lose everything.”
He added, “You must ensure that this opportunity God has given you at this critical time is protected. Don’t fail Him. Don’t fail these elders that have come here to witness this ceremony.
“We want this to be a landmark. This is the beginning of a new Rivers State, and I am going to make sure that I supervise it with all that I have.
“I will follow up with whatever is happening in the 23 local governments with everything because I believe this is not a time for me to make any mistake.”
Additionally, he charged them to be above board pointing out that “with what you have done, your past responsibilities, and a few of you that I know personally, you are not going to disappoint us.
“We are doing this today for the world, and for Nigerians to know that the issue of local government election, swearing in, and resumption of office in Rivers State is over.
“So, maybe from tomorrow, the story may be different, not anymore: it can’t happen or it will be stopped. What we are talking about now is a different story.”
The governor further said he “feels so overwhelmed with joy with the feat achieved given what the State has been made to go through.”
While expressing gratitude to God who has remained as his abiding strength, courage and sustainer, Fubara praised Tinubu for his democratic approach while giving the government support.
“So, on behalf of the good people of Rivers State, I want to thank him (President Tinubu), adding that he was glad that “the Chairman of the Governor’s Forum of PDP, and Governor of Bauchi State, Senator Bala Mohammed, is here with us to witness the ceremony. I want to assure you that I still remain a member of PDP.”
BAUCHI STATE GOVERNOR COMMENTS
Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed who was on solidarity visit to Fubara while he swore in the newly-elected local council chairmen said that Rivers State governor has proven himself a true democrat, who, against all odds, has pushed through with decisions and actions to deepen democracy.
Mohammed who is also the Chairman of PDP Governors’ Forum (PDPGF), said that Fubara is very proactive with an open mind, deploying his democratic instincts with strategies to carefully deliver democratic governance at the local government level, irrespective of party allegiance or consideration.
Mohammed affirmed that Rivers State is still a PDP State, even if the just sworn-in local government chairmen and councillors are of different political parties because the governor has not defected to another party.
He also said that Fubara, who is the Vice Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, is still an avowed member of PDP despite the fact that other parties constitute the body of elected officers at the local government level.
Said he, “Of course, he is still with us. He’s still a PDP man, and I have to come, on behalf of the Governors, to show solidarity to him for this very proactive democratic instincts that he developed, which is a new manifestation in the political arena in Nigeria; where he had to intensify, and he has to develop strategy to be able to deliver governance, irrespective of party allegiance or party consideration.”
Mohammed further stated : “He didn’t have a structure of the party in the State, for certain reasons, and he had to go out to make sure he allows other parties to participate within the political space so that there wouldn’t be any vacuum.
“And, I think this is very auspicious, that is very creative and I am very proud of him. And I said, yes, we have lost as a party, and that is why we want to be running away from this.
“Again, he has established himself as a Governor and the pride of all the governors in Nigeria.”
The Chair of PDPGF also pointed out why it is inadvisable to ignore a sitting Governor at the sub-national level because of the role he plays and the followership he commands insisting that, the effrontery to undermine the office and person of Fubara as the Governor of Rivers State is largely not acceptable.
He added that “a Governor is the Chief Executive. He can do anything. He can spring surprises because the Nigerian State is run by governors at the sub-national level adding that “even the Federal Government is a tenant. Nigerians live in the States and Local Governments, and that is why what he did today is very proactive and creative, irrespective of the fact that he knew his party will lose.”
“And certainly, because of his deep democratic instincts, he had to allow the other parties to win, and I will just wish that those who have won will see it in their own modesty and willing to give him support because he is not doing it with any strings or asking them to do anything for him. Let the APP and him have that relationship so that he can govern,” the Bauchi governor declared.
WIKE’S MEN REACT TO THE OUTCOME OF THE ELECTION
Piqued by the outcome of the election, Wike’s men said they would not let go as they would be heading to court to challenge the conduct of the polls.
Kenneth Yowika, the State Publicity Secretary of PDP reportedly said: ‘’we are pressing further through the courts to ensure that justice is done and seen to have been done. So, we do not agree nor do we recognize if any swearing-in is taking place today (Sunday) or tomorrow (Monday).”.
Yowika reportedly described what the State government had done as illegal pointing out that from the beginning, the ruling party in the state had insisted on the Federal High Court judgment barring the conduct of the council polls..
In his words: “First of all everything concerning that issue is illegal. We have said it clearly that elections should not be held, you know, relying on the Federal High Court judgment delivered by Justice Peter Lifu.
“And I had said before this time that any action taken regarding the issue of the local government will be futile because if we say we are a country that stands by the rule of law, then we should not be doing things that are contrary to the law.
“The law had said do things that will be in line with the judgment of the Federal High Court and the Government of the day has not obeyed that.
“So, we are a law-abiding party. We are not going to come out physically to begin to fight. We had a protest yesterday (Saturday) clearly showing that there was no election.
“And we stand by that decision that we have taken that there was no election, and we wait for the judiciary and other arms of government that should put things in proper perspective to act. We continue to hold on that there was no election.”
Speaking in the same vein, Chibuike Ikenga, the Publicity Secretary of Chief Tony Okocha-led APC reportedly said that his party would challenge the election in court.
While these two men were considering going to court to challenge the election some hoodlums who were vexed with election resorted to self-help by setting ablaze some council secretariats on Monday, just a day after the swearing in of the new council chairmen.
The violent action of these hoodlums was somewhat disclosed by Fubara when he swore in the new local government chairmen because he informed that he was aware that his “detractors were mobilising 20 people per political unit with the instruction to attack them when they report to their various council secretariats to resume duties” but advised the chairmen not to confront the situation, should it happen or fight anybody.
At the time of this report, the councils that suffered this arson are Eleme; Ahoada East, Ikwerre, Oyigbo and Obio/Akpor whose own attack was minor because the youths of the area resisted the arsonists.
CONCLUSION
Based on the way the election turned out, observers are commending Fubara for wrestling the political power of the State from Wike. They are saying that the governor has demystified Wike and the Police, as the peaceful way the election went generally has proven that Police even contribute to the crisis people suffer during the election.
Observers also say that the RSIEC Boss has also demystified Yakubu of INEC due to way the electoral materials were distributed on time and with precision adding that Tinubu should consider replacing him (Yakubu) with Enebeli or ask the INEC Chair to go for tutorial under the RSIEC Chairman.
However, observers are watching and waiting the kind of judgment the Federal High Court judges in Abuja, some of who are seemingly now at the beck and call of Wike , would grant the aggrieved pro-Wike PDP and APC men.
While awaiting the pro-Wike judges judgement, the Ejeagha elephantine dance keeps blaring virtually every with some people making it the ringtone of their phones, confirming the sweet uses of victory
ENDS