Politics
Re-Instatment Of Council Chairmen: Matters Arising
Political activities in the 11 local government areas, of Rivers State, whose chairmen were suspended from office by the State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi, had within the past few weeks been riddled with intrigues, suspense and a climax that had further heated the polity.
The affected LGAs, are still wearing an ominous political cloud. There are also indications that most of the returning helmsmen are still pondering, and may not just gloss over the perceived excesses of their deputies during their brief suspension from office.
Angered by the daring effrontery of some of the vice chairmen, who in a jifty dislogded the political structures on ground before the political pitfall, most of the re-instated chairmen are tightening their political knots.
The political scene in most of the affected LGAs is also suggestive of visible pall of apprehension, among the power players. Bearing the brunt of perceived insorbordination, most of the re-instated chairmen, seem more cautious in the review of their relationships with their deputies.
The Chairman of Ahoada East Local Government, Casidy Ikegbidi, was the first among his re-instated colleagues to yield to the anticipated reactions and predictions of pundits.
On resumption of office, boss sacked all political appointees engaged by his Vice, Britain Ewoh, while serving as Acting Chairman. He also revoked all contracts awarded by the acting chairman.
The AHELGA boss did not attach the sacking of the engaged political appointees and revocation of contracts to any specific excuse. He only “urged the workers and political office holders to brace up for the new era of leadership”, and assured that he would work with them to develop the area.
The Ahoada East chairman’s action, shortly on resumption of office is startling of what is heard in some of the affected LGAs. The Political rumour mill is already awash with tales of impending poltical ‘lockhorn’ between the key players.
As put by a Port Harcourt-based analyst, Dr. Steve Wodu “the action of the Chairman of Ahoada East LGA, should be no surprise to anyone, it should be expected in most of the other affected LGAs; it shows that vested interest is the hub of Nigerian politics, and it undermines the will of the people as expressed at the polls”.
He cautioned that the growing disagreement between most council chairmen and their deputies was a “plausible, tactical political flaw” which could lead to “lack of development focus and a protracted political tussle if not properly addressed.
Corroborating Mr. Wodu’s view, another political analyst, Comrade Lekia Christian said , “a replay of the Ahoada East chairman’s action should not be entirely ruled out in the other 10 affected LGAs, as most of the council chairmen who have lost faith in the loyalty of their Vice may stop at nothing to smoothen their political ride”.
He said the suspended chairmen considered the actions of the deputies during their brief romance with full executive powers as betrayal, as some of their actions were to forestall their political backlash of losing the popularity and political control to the deputies.
Investigation also revealed that the sudden elevation of the Vice Chairmen of affected LGAs, as Acting Chairmen, compounded the brewing crisis of mutual distrust between them and their chairmen with political sentiments piling up in most of the councils, political analysts forsee a crisis of impeachment looming ahead in the councils.
In Ahoada East LGA, which is glaringly in the political spotlight, the councillors are said to be divided as those loyal to the chairman and his vice repeatedly are already pitted against themselves.
A top council source, revealed that the development at it stands, ‘may cause a disruption in the smooth running of the affairs of the council”.
The source, however, expressed hope that the council will get over its present challenges soon.
A Port Harcourt based Legal practitioner, Barrister, Kio George, described the suspension of the 11 council chairmen and swearing in of their deputies by the Governor, as a “prelude to a battered relationship between the duo”.
According to Kio, “the manner of operations and governance at the LG level had always placed vice chairmen on a passive level of participation, and as such the opportunity to test full scale executive power was provided within the period of suspension”. He added that the development had drawn a battleline between most chairmen and their deputies. He however called on the Rivers State House of Assembly to ensure that activities in the affected LGAs, do not drift into full scale political crisis.
Ironically, while the acting chairmen were already consolidating their sudden elevation and romance with full executive powers, they were also interceptws by a sudden reversal of the order to status qo by the Governor.
However, not all the vice chairmen seem to have betrayed such passionate obsession to succeeding their bosses.
In Port Harcourt City Local Government, it was obvious that for unfathomable reasons, the vice chairman, reluctantly assumed power, as she was sworn in about a week after her colleagues has assumed duties and revelling in the ‘new found power’, perhaps, ignoring the prying eyes of political agents and gold diggers.
It could be recalled that during the period of suspension of the bosses, the acting chairmen of Akuku Toru, Asari Toru, Ahoada West and some others, had existing bodies and political structures in their various councils.
But the former acting chairman and Vice Chairman of Akuku Toru LGA, Stanley Benibo said his decisions were a continuation of his boss’s agenda, which was based on wide consultation with the people. Benibo added that his decision had no personal under- current.
The debates generated by the suspension and eventual re-instatement of 11 council chairmen, in Rivers State have also opened new vistas, in the realm of local government administration, especially in role playing, among the key players in the councils.
This had led to the inclusion of new clauses in the Rivers State Local Government Amendment Bill recently passed to law by the Rivers State House of Assembly. According to the House Leader, Hon. Chidi Lloyd while contributing to the bill before its passage, “the new clause is to stretch the specificity of role to avoid its tendencies of usurpation”. Another critical area of concern raised by analysts, is over the constitutional requirements and procedure to sack a local government chairman. If anything, the unfolding political activities in the affected LGAs have sent a signal to others over the necessary vigilance expected of chairmen in response to Governance and other constitutional duties.
Taneh Beemene
Governor Douye Diri has set a target of at least one million votes for President Bola Tinubu in Bayelsa State in the 2027 presidential election, while charging the newly inaugurated All Progressives Congress (APC) State Campaign Council to prioritise reconciliation, party unity and collective electoral mobilisation.
Governor Diri gave the charge at the inauguration of the 20-member campaign council at the APC secretariat in Yenagoa, where he warned that internal divisions could undermine the party’s efforts to secure victory for President Tinubu and other candidates at the federal and state levels.
Governor Diri urged party members who were not appointed to the council to support its activities by taking the APC’s message to communities, wards and polling units across the state.
He specifically charged the campaign team to mobilise at least one million votes for President Tinubu, arguing that Bayelsa’s voting strength had increased and should be reflected in the 2027 election results.
“I give you a target that in Bayelsa, we must not bring less than one million votes for Mr President. You are going to campaign, and you have a lot to talk about the President. He has done so much for our people,” the governor said.
He listed the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, the second phase of the Nembe-Brass Road, interventions in the power sector, federal appointments for Bayelsa indigenes and the establishment of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy among the achievements the campaign should present to voters.
The governor particularly praised President Tinubu for the coastal highway project, arguing that it reflected federal attention to the development needs of coastal communities.
“No president, alive or dead, has remembered the coastal people and coastal states to say let us do this signature project from Lagos to Calabar. The first president to think about it is Bola Tinubu, and those were the demands of the Ijaw people,” he said.
Governor Diri also expressed hope that a second term for President Tinubu would provide an opportunity to advance demands for fiscal federalism, greater resource control and state policing, which he described as longstanding aspirations of the Niger Delta.
He said the President had shown indications of addressing some of the demands of younger Nigerians and argued that re-election would allow the administration to consolidate its reforms.
The governor further cautioned campaigners against personal attacks and abusive exchanges with political opponents, insisting that the APC should focus its campaign on issues, policies and achievements.
The governor’s mobilisation directive comes amid criticism from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which has questioned his commitment to President Tinubu’s re-election campaign, alleging that APC campaign billboards erected across Yenagoa promote other party candidates without featuring the President.
The PDP, through its Publicity Secretary, Mr Ikaebimo Mark, said the billboards showed Governor Diri urging voters to support APC candidates for the National Assembly and State House of Assembly elections without identifying President Tinubu as the party’s presidential candidate.
Mr Mark described the omission as an indication that the governor was not fully aligned with the APC’s national leadership.
“When we said that the governor, Senator Douye Diri, is not supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, we knew exactly what we were saying. Now Governor Douye Diri has erected APC campaign billboards across Bayelsa State without Tinubu’s picture. He is even afraid to associate himself with the photograph of the presidential candidate of his own party. How can this governor claim to be supporting President Tinubu?” he said.
The PDP, however, maintained that the governor’s public campaign posture raised questions about his commitment to the President’s re-election bid. Its allegation over the billboards now places the issue of the relationship between the state APC leadership and the party’s national campaign among the political questions likely to feature in Bayelsa’s preparations for 2027.
The PDP’s allegation has introduced a fresh political dimension to the APC’s preparations in Bayelsa, even as Governor Diri publicly called on party leaders and members to close ranks and mobilise support for all its candidates.
“Every person picked as a member of this campaign council was carefully scrutinised. I want to tell you that our campaign team is loaded. We parade the best candidates among all the parties in Bayelsa State, and there is no doubt about that,” he said.
He urged members to remain focused and united, warning that political opponents could exploit any divisions within the party.
“Our unity is very important because they would want to feast on our disunity. We will not give them that opportunity. Please, as you carry out this assignment, do not take your eyes off the target,” Hon. Ogoriba said.
SP Edafe explained that during the meeting, the organisers were briefed on the identified security threats and advised against embarking on an open-road procession.
Instead, the police reportedly recommended that the political activities be conducted at a designated venue where adequate security arrangements could be provided.
However, the Command alleged that the organisers disregarded the security advice and proceeded with the road procession.
Meanwhile, the Delta State Government has condemned the political violence that erupted in Asaba, the state capital, on Saturday, confirming that one person was killed while four others sustained serious injuries.
The government described the incident as unfortunate and unacceptable, warning political parties and their supporters against actions capable of threatening public peace, security and democratic participation in the state.
In a statement issued by the Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads) and Public Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu, the government reiterated its zero tolerance for political violence, intimidation and other forms of political misconduct.
Mr Aniagwu said the government had repeatedly cautioned political parties against engaging in activities capable of disrupting the peace, insisting that the incident could have been avoided if the organisers had followed security advice.
According to him, the police had advised the organisers to cancel the proposed street march and instead conduct their political campaign at a designated venue where adequate security arrangements could be provided.
He expressed concern that the advice was allegedly disregarded, resulting in a confrontation that claimed one life and left four other people seriously injured.
The government subsequently called on the police to conduct a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the violence and ensure that anyone found culpable is brought to justice.
Mr Aniagwu further warned that the state government would not tolerate politically motivated attacks against any individual, regardless of political affiliation.
He maintained that Delta State remained safe for residents and visitors, stressing that the government would not allow the actions of individuals or groups to undermine the prevailing peace and security in the state.
The government also urged political parties, their leaders and supporters to conduct their political activities within the confines of the law and demonstrate respect for human life, public order and the rights of other citizens.
The latest development follows an attack on supporters of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) during a political procession in Asaba, which reportedly left several participants injured and campaign vehicles vandalised.
The government’s condemnation comes amid growing concerns over political violence and the safety of opposition supporters as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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