Amid crisis over local government administration in Rivers State, youths loyal the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, on Wednesday, gathered around the council premises of the Port Harcourt City Local Government Council (PHALGA).
Police have however taken over the PHALGA environment and premises of other local council areas in Rivers State.
Speaking to Channels Television, one of the leaders of the crowd, Maxwell Enwukwe, a former Council Executive and the present coordinator grass root development initiate in PHALGA, said they will resist any attempt by the new caretaker Team to take over.
“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,” Enwukwe said.
The crowd has also refuse to leave the PHALGA environment which is a stone stroll from the Rivers State Government House.
Local government chairmen in Rivers State whose tenure expired on Tuesday are refusing to step down, claiming that their tenure was extended by the State House of Assembly.
Meanwhile, Governor Siminalayi Fubara has maintained that there is nothing like tenure extension for the chairmen and has gone ahead to nominate caretaker committee for the 23 local government councils.
