Councillors under the umbrella of Rivers State Councillors’ Forum have alleged that the outgoing Chairmen of Local Government Councils are planning to mobilise hoodlums to cause mayhem in the state.
This is contained in a communiqué signed by no fewer than five leaders of the local government legislative councilors.
The communique titled “
A Communiqué By The Legislative Councils (Councilors’ Forum) of Rivers State at the end of the meeting of the Forum held on Saturday 18th May, 2024 reads;
- Our attention has been drawn to a purported plot by the Local Government Chairmen to mobilize some miscreants in the guise of Councillors forum to cause mayhem in the state.
- The Chairmen whose tenure is winding down in few days time, have resorted to making unwarranted and unguided statements to sabotage the government of His Excellency, Ama-Opusenibo Sir. Siminialayi Fubara, GSSRS, KSC.
- It is on record that His Excellency has paid all civil servants as well as the political class, hence any kind of political sabotage in the guise of protest amounts to nothing but a nuisance by the Chairmen and the Councilors
- His Excellency, Ama-Opusenibo Sir. Siminialayi Fubara GSSRS, KSC, the Governor of Rivers State is passionate, dedicated and committed to service delivery to the people of Rivers State, it can only take those that do not mean well for the State to oppose the proactive and people driven policies of His Administration.
- His Excellency has paid salaries promptly, and his projects and programs are very visible and people oriented.
- In fact, there’s no better time to speak, than now, on how wicked, greedy and self centered these Chairmen have been in their ill-mannered treatment meted out on the Councillors and LGAs at large.
- These Chairmen receive timely huge amounts of allocations and IGRs, yet they have done little to show for it, say for one or two LGAs that actually used the funds judiciously to the benefit of the people of their LGAs.
- It is interesting to know that, Councillors under the dispensation of these LGA Chairmen have been nothing short of slaves. No wardrobe allowances, no trainings, no car loans, no constituency projects in our various Wards, no severance package, not even a conducive legislative complex for us to do our work, yet, they have the mind to sabotage the efforts of His Excellency.
- Some LGA Chairmen, up till this moment, have refused to present their Budgets; yet, they have been appropriating funds without following due process. That is how high-handed and corrupt they have become.
1 OThis is the reason they are illegally clamoring through the back door to elongate their tenure in office, which we (Councillors) are not part of it, and disassociate ourselves from such.
11 . Their actions are nothing short of greed and selfishness, as they have planned on how not to pay salaries in the months of April and May, but for the intervention of His Excellency.
We wish to thank His Excellency for this kind intervention. - In the light of the foregoing, we the Legislative Council Leaders, on behalf of the Councillors Forum, call on His Excellency, the good people of Rivers State and the general public to disregard any group of persons in any guise who plan to cause any form of security breach in the State. We therefore, call on His Excellency to call the Commissioner of Police and the State Director of DSS to beef up security within and around the State.
- We assure of our unalloyed and unwavering support to his administration, and we are certain that the people of Rivers State are strongly with His Excellency anytime any day.
God Bless His Excellency, Ama-Opusenibo Sir. Siminialayi Fubara GSSRS,
KSC.
Long Live Rivers State.
Long Live Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Signed:
Rt Hon. Reginald Promise
Leader, Omuma Legislative Council
Rt. Hon. Larry ID Ibaningo
Leader, Bonny Legislative Council
Rt Hon. Christian Ewah
Leader, Ahoada West Legislative Council
Rt. Hon. Samuel Manilla
Leader, Opobo/Nkoro Legislative Counci
Rt. Hon. Bernard UnweThankGod
Leader, Ahoada East Legislative Council