Rivers LG Crisis: ALGON Hails Appeal Court’s Judgement  …Drums Support For Fubara 

The Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) has commended the Appeal’s Court judgment that dismissed two appeals instituted by the sacked Local Government Chairmen loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

ALGON, in a statement issued by its spokesperson, Amb. Marvin Yobana, on Tuesday, commended the Appeal Court for upholding justice and protecting the Constitution of Nigeria.

The Association also appealed to Rivers people to continue to support the Executive Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, GSSRS following his peaceful dispositions and his sincere desire to ensure development in every nooks and crannies of the State.

Amb. Yobana, therefore, appealed to the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, to order his men to vacate all the council secretariats and stay in line with the court’s judgement.

The Court of Appeal, sitting in Port Harcourt, on Monday, July 8, 2024, had dismissed two appeals instituted by the sacked Local Government Chairmen loyal to the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

The appeals, marked CA/PH/137M/2024 and CA/PH/145M/2024, were filed by the former Chairman of Opobo/Nkoro LGA, Enyiada Cookey-Gam, and six others, challenging the decisions of the High Court regarding the elongation of their tenure.

The ALGON spokesperson, who is also the Chairman of Khana Local Government Area, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Susan Serekara-Nwikhana, further described the court’s judgement as the bastion of justice and truth, and thanked the court for sustaining democracy and for staying on the side of the people.

According to him, the court is still and will remain the last hope of the common man.

“I want to sincerely commend the Appeal Court for upholding justice and protecting the Federal Constitution of Nigeria. The Court of Appeal has shown to the world that it is the defender of the truth, the last hope of the common man and the bastion of justice in the country.

“What we expect now from the Inspector General of Police is to enforce the court judgement by withdrawing all his men from the local government councils as anything short of this can lead to breakdown of law and order, which is what we all are trying to avoid all these  while.

“We are appealing to the IGP to ensure that the Police are not biased, rather they should respect, uphold and enforce the court’s judgement by tactically withdrawing all the Policemen from all the councils. Anything short of this is regarded as disobedient to the rule of law,” Yobana said.

The ALGON spokesperson charged all local government chairmen in the State to continue to sustain peace and maintain law and order in their various domains in line with the peaceful disposition of His Excellency, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, GSSRS.

Yobana also urged all members of the Simplified Movement to see the Appeal Court’s judgement as a victory for democracy and development in Rivers State.