Rivers Crisis: Rivers ALGON chairman pleads with Tinubu, NLC to stop members of NULGE from staging another sponsored protest

By Admin

Chairman of Rivers State ALGON chapter, Hon. Allwell Ihunda has pleaded with President Bola Tinubu and the national body of organised Labour to stop members of NLC and TUC from orchestrating further damage to the state via another sponsored protest.

He also noted that Rivers NULGE and Labour have been allegedly infiltrated by the State Governor Sim Fubara who offered NLC and ALGON membership of caretaker committee appointments.

Ihunda made this disclosure while briefing journalists in Portharcourt on Sunday declaring that:

“The Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) Rivers State Chapter has
become aware of the orchestrated plans of the leadership and members of the National
Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) Rivers State and its collaborators to
destabilize the fragile peace prevailing in Rivers State on Monday the 24th day of June,
2024 by storming and attacking the Police Officers stationed at the various Council
Secretariats in Rivers State under the guise of protesting against the presence of the
Officers of the Nigerian Police securing the Council premises.

“This plan which was conceived, fertilized and hatched by the officials of NULGE in
collaboration with the officials of the Rivers State Government under the leadership of
His Excellency, Sir Siminialayi Fubara, GSSRS, is designed to over-awe the Nigerian
Police and chase them away from securing the Council Secretariat so that the illegal
Care-Taker Committees recently appointed and sworn in by the Governor of Rivers
State to operate from “anywhere” can break into and take over the Council Secretariat
and give themselves the cover of legitimacy using the Council Secretariat.

He however listed the list of the beneficiaries as follows:
Mr. Big-Joe Ntar, Chisa Ordu, Azubuike Edward, Kingsley Ogwe, Daniel Wisdom, Kpobari Zarakpege, Chinwe Nmerukini, Ngozi Okenwe

” Some of the NULGE officials and members appointed into the
purported Care-Taker Committees include the following:
1. Engr. Thankgod Ichem
Ikwerre LGA Care-Taker Committee
Tai LGA Care-Taker Committee
Ahoada West LGA Care-Taker Committee
Ahoada East LGA Care-Taker Committee
ONELGA Care-Taker Committee
Ogu/Bolo LGA Care-Taker Committee
Gokana LGA Care-Taker Committee
PHALGA Care-Taker Committee
Emohua LGA Care-Taker Committee
10.
Michael Onwuli
Omuma LGA Care-Taker Committee
11.
Jamena Erokosima
12.
Lolo P. Clifford
13.
Abigail Chiolu
14.
Okorite Bobmanuel
15.
Ishmael Idante
16.
Isaiah Daniel Obianime
17.
Gilbert Onyewaji
18. Christian Nwanwho
19.
Mimi Gospel
Degema LGA Care-Taker Committee
Asari-Toru LGA Care-Taker Committee
Obio/Akpor LGA Care-Taker Committee
Akuku-Toru LGA Care-Taker Committee
Andoni LGA Care-Taker Committee
Okrika LGA Care-Taker Committee
Abua/Odua LGA Care-Taker Committee
Oyigbo LGA Care-Taker Committee
Eleme LGA Care-Taker Committee
20. Jumbo Neena ere
21. Florence Nwala
Khana LGA Care-Taker Committee
Etche LGA Care-Taker Committee.

“These individuals and those who are priming them to be used for the pursuit of this
devious scheme do not seem to care about the well-being of the people of Rivers State
and the imperative for the preservation of peace, law and order in Rivers State.

“NULGE
has been infiltrated and compromised by the Governor of Rivers State and its officials
and unsuspecting members are now being hoodwinked and drafted into fighting, under the guise of protest, as foot soldiers to promote the divisive partisan private interest of the
Governor.

“Against this background, we want to use this medium to once again call on the President
of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and the Federal
Government of Nigeria to intervene by calling the Governor of Rivers State to order with
a view to avoiding a breakdown of governance, law, and order in Rivers State.

“We call on
national leadership of the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE)
and all well-meaning Labour and Trade Unions as well as Civil Society Groups to take
proactive steps to prevail on the NULGE officials in Rivers State to jettison the planned
protest and confrontation with the Nigerian Police which may plunge our dear Rivers
State deeper into avoidable crisis and possible loss of lives.

” We call on the well-meaning
members of NULGE in Rivers State to recognize the planned protest/demonstration as
an orchestrated scheme to lure them into fighting for the promotion of the private agenda
of some selfish individuals and politicians and to shun the planned protest/demonstration
and patiently await the peaceful resolution of the legal issues involved in Local
Government Administration in Rivers State which are already pending before courts of
competent jurisdiction.

” No good will come from needless protests and confrontation with
law enforcement agencies who themselves are patiently awaiting judicial determination
of the issues involved.

” Let us all keep fate with the due process of the rule of law for in
the fullness of time, sanity, normalcy and order shall be restored to the administration of
Local Government.