A group of youths loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, have gathered around the council premises of the Port Harcourt City Local Government Council (PHALGA) amidst the crisis over local government administration in the state.
The Local government chairmen in Rivers State, whose tenure expired on Tuesday, have refused to step down, claiming that their tenure was extended by the State House of Assembly.
On his part, Governor Siminalayi Fubara insists that there is nothing like a tenure extension for the chairmen and has nominated a caretaker committee for the 23 local government councils.
Speaking to Channels TV, a former Council Executive and the present coordinator of the grassroots development initiative in PHALGA, Maxwell Enwukwe, said they will resist any attempt by the new caretaker team to take over the council.
He said, “These are the youths from Port Hacourt Local Government Council, we have come to make sure there is peace and order in our local government council because yesterday we got a wind of some persons that went to gather some hoodlums to come and besiege the council even when there was public holiday.
“So, today we have come to know why that but luckily the police have taken over the local government council and so everybody is just here peacefully, nothing is happening. These are grass root development initiative supporters of the Minister of FCT.”
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