NewStats: 3,261,607 , 8,174,489 topics. Date: Thursday, 29 May 2025 at 06:37 PM 71355x

The call by the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Rivers State House of Assembly to expeditiously begin the process of impeaching the state governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has been ed by the local government area chairmen in Rivers State.

Under the auspices of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) Rivers State Chapter, the 21 LGA chairmen in the state declared that the call was essential to preserving democracy and establishing the Rule of Law.

Addressing pressmen in Port Harcourt yesterday, Chairman of ALGON in the state, Hon. Allwell Ihunda, who also is the chairman of Port Harcourt City LGA, decried that the Governor of the state has withheld allocation of the LGAs since April.

Ihunda said the development was a show of executive rascality on the part of the governor, noting that the governor has refused to convene the t Allocation Committee Meeting (JAAC) which is the prerequisite for the release and disbursement of funds between the state and LGAs.

He described the governor’s action as illegal, adding that the state was at the verge of being plunged into totalitarianism.

Ihunda said: It has come to the notice of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) Rivers State Chapter that the Rivers State Government under the leadership of His Excellency, Sir Siminialayi Fubara, GSSRS, has neglected, failed and deliberately refused to hold the statutory t Allocation Committee Meeting (JAAC) which is the prerequisite for the release and disbursement of funds due to the Local Governments in the State t Local Government and has continued to withhold the statutory allocation due to the 23 Local Governments Councils of Rivers State since the month of April, 2024 (and in the case of Emohua since March, 2024) till date for no just cause, thereby starving the third tier of government of the funds required to discharge its statutory functions in the istration of the Local Government Areas.

“It has also come to our notice that the Governor of Rivers State held a meeting with Heads of Local Government istration (HLGA), Heads of Personnel Management (HPM), Treasurers of Local Governments and other Directors on Monday the 6th day of May, 2024 in Government House Port Harcourt whereat he directed them to go and compile for presentation to him of the salary vouchers and over heads of civil servants (excluding Chairmen, Vice Chairmen, Councilors and other political office holders), for the various Local Governments with a view to unlawfully dipping his hands into Local Government funds to pay staff salaries directly without the involvement of the democratically elected Local Government Chairmen.”

Ihunda noted that the Governor of the state is seeking to proscribe the system of Local Government guaranteed under section 7 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, noting that the action is tantamount to an illegal proscription of the Local Government Councils.

He noted that Fubara is flaunting the law of the land which he swore to upholding, calling on the State House of Assembly to take steps to cut the excesses of the governor.

“This conduct of the Rivers State Government which smacks of executive high-handedness and lawlessness is not only despicable and unconscionable in a democratic setting, but is also unconstitutional given the clear provisions of sections 3(6), 7 and 162 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended which not only guarantees the system of Local Governments by democratically elected Local Government Councils across the Federation of Nigeria including in Rivers State, but which also vests the Local Government Councils with the right to receive statutory allocations from the Federation paid through the State t Allocation .

“It is even more worrisome to note that the Governor of Rivers State took the decision to withhold the statutory allocation in this case in flagrant violation of the subsisting interim order of the Federal High Court (coram Hon. Justice J. K. Omotosho (J) entered in suit No.FHC/ABJ/CS/537/2024 on the 25th day of April, 2024) which mandated all the parties to the suit, including the Rivers State Government (who is the 7th Defendant therein) to maintain the status quo and not to take any step that will render the pending motion for interlocutory injunction before the court nugatory.

We therefore call on the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and the Federal Government of Nigeria to intervene by calling the Governor of Rivers State to order with a view to avoiding a breakdown of governance, law
and order in Rivers State.

“We call on the Honourable of the Rivers State House of Assembly to take appropriate steps to check the excesses of the Governor of Rivers State and ensure the survival and sustenance of democratic institutions in Rivers State.”

We’ll not vacate office after our tenure

Meanwhile, the Legal Adviser of the body, Chief Hon. Dr. Irastus Awoto, who is the Chairman of Andoni LGA, noted that the democratically elected Chairmen would not leave office, adding that the law empowers to stay additional six months in office.

Awoto said: “Yes, we got elected in 2021 and our tenure is to expire in June. But by now LG elections ought to have been concluded and the winners awaiting swearing in. The Assembly has seen that no action has been taking in respect of conducting an election and in their wisdom knows there shouldn’t be any vacuum and we have to maintain democratically elected Chairmen as in the local government law said until elections are done, this Chairmen will stay in office for another six months in the interim.

“As a matter of fact, in respect of this too we went to court, because the state government has not shown any attention as regards local government elections. What we are seeing is associates of the governor making comments that on thr 17th and 18th of June they are going to invade LG offices and they will bring everybody down. This is an invitation to anarchy.

“We as local government Chairmen we going to remain in office because the law as amended by the Rivers State House of Assembly says so. That law has given us additional six month and we will remain in office after the expiration.”

https://platinumtimes.ng/fubara-rivers-lg-chairmen-declares--for-apc-impeachment-call/

This guy has suddenly become Idi Amin.

The little man disrespected and ridiculed the president of the federal republic of Nigeria by not fully implementing the gentleman agreement he agreed to implement before the CinC.

Addressing pressmen in Port Harcourt yesterday, Chairman of ALGON in the state, Hon. Allwell Ihunda, who also is the chairman of Port Harcourt City LGA, decried that the Governor of the state has withheld allocation of the LGAs since April

But it's still early in the month of May, did he bother to find out if allocation has been released by the Government at the Central or just want to paint the government in bad light as usual ?

Mad people. Una go see wetin una soon

Game on

APC. Very backward 14th century party. You will not see them improving lives of the citizenry, but when it comes to their personal interests you will see them coming out from their caves.

Rivers people should think above politics and be rational. Politics involves life if not handled properly. Rivers people, posterity doesn't forget. Be wise

Arse licking people

Evil party

Noted.

Let's see how it goes.

Wicked Wike at Work

Wasn't the governor stylishly crying for mercy a few days ago.

Lagos would have been like this if not for how the political class aligned.

Destroying fabrics of governance is what these guys equate to being bold.

Fubara that was as gentle as a dove don turn something else only one year in power.

ok

This is pure hearsay. LG chairmen must be loyal to the incumbent governor whatsoever.

Last kick if some dieing horses ,the chairmen has just 30+days to leave so am not surprised by their selfish

Make una dey dere dey mumu follow wike. Hunger go wire una.

If two oga dey fight, the subordinate should be diplomatic About it.

It’s all about their pockets not the about the people.

Black Africa need to be recolonized!

Fubara should appoint local government caretaker committee ASAP ,conduct fresh elections and push the morons out .you have the power
The drunkard cannot be distracting the state that has a democratically elected governor.

Maxymilliano:


But it's still early in the month of May, did he bother to find out if allocation has been released by the Government at the Central or just want to paint the government in bad light as usual ?

dont you know why LG chairmen and politicians dont play with allocation?

Godfatherism can't work in Rivers State, the Abuja man is doing everything devilishly possible to scatter the little atom of peace in the State.

The office of the Governor should be respected and given the chance to Govern in Peace.

We want peace in Rivers State and good governance. Not all this muscle pull and agbero style of Politics. The Abuja man should caution his puppets.

Fubara might not survive this. He is being provoked to commit treasonable offences.

Adflex1:
Godfatherism can't work in Rivers State, the Abuja man is doing everything devilishly possible to scatter the little atom of peace in the State.

The office of the Governor should be respected and given the chance to Govern in Peace.

We want peace in Rivers State and good governance. Not all this muscle pull and agbero style of Politics. The Abuja man should caution his puppets.

Did the man in Abuja tell the ingrate to withhold funds of Duly Elected LGA Chairmen? How would you feel if BAT withholds Rivers State allocation?

I blame Atiku for all this Wike's madness.. That's why I like Tinubu as a leader. You can not play god against anything that he believes in.

Ndi ochi una job don cast

Im a strong er of Fubara but I hate hearing things like this.

Fubara is given the House of Assembly more reasons to impeach him

Im sure Fubara is relying on the online rants of obedients and ipob.

If Fubara is impeached today I don't think anything will happen.

Those he rely on will abandon him. Both the military and police will take surround everywhere.

Fubara might even suffer for it. For peace to reign, Fubara release the funds if you have received from FAAC.

Conduct election and test your popularity.

Enough is Enough

Wike is pained because He miss Rivers State Allocation and he is ready to make sure his successor don't enjoy it in peace as he once does