Andoni Caretaker Members Pledge Loyalty To Chairman, Rep Member

Members of the Care-taker Committee in Andoni Local Government Area have vowed to support the caretaker Chairman of the Council, Barrister Reginald Ekaan.
The six-member committee, who made the pledge at a media briefing in Port Harcourt, also restated their loyalty to the member representing Andoni/Opobo/Nkoro Federal Constituency at the National Assembly, Hon. Awajinombek Abiante.
They described as baseless, claim by an unnamed member of the committee that the caretaker chairman was operating from the private residence of Hon. Abiante.
According to the statement jointly signed by the six caretaker committee members and read by the Supervisor for Agriculture, Hon.Emmanuel Warisofini, “the faceless individual claim that the council is being operated from the private residence of Rep Awajinombek Abiante is a confirmation that he/she is not a member of the caretaker committee, Andoni Local Government Council”
They said following the barricade of the council secretariat by the Nigeria Police, the administration of councils across the state is carried out outside the councils’ secretariats, adding that for Andoni Local Government Council, at the discretion of the chairman, engagements are held at security friendly venues.
“It is worthy to note that the caretaker committee members meet regularly with the chairman, including the F and GPC meetings.
“We,  therefore, find it strange for someone who is not a member of the caretaker committee to claim that the chairman does not carry members along”, they said.
While dissociating themselves from the alleged claim, they noted that Hon. Abiante is neither the chairman of the Andoni Local Government Council nor an appointee of the council and so does not have any access to the council fund.
According to them, the situation was capable of distracting the caretaker committee chairman who is busy with the task of improving the well-being of Andoni people and uniting key stakeholders.
“He is focused and will not be distracted by enemies of the state government who are bent on causing ill feeling amongst stakeholders.
“Currently, the Chairman is working in synergy with the Rivers State Ministry of Health to address cases of extreme watery stool in some Andoni communities”, they added.
The members urged politicians wishing to contest the forthcoming local government elections in the area to carry out their campaigns with modesty required of those who seek to occupy public office and not resort to the campaign of calumny that has relegated Andoni to the background.

John Bibor