Wike’s allies stage protest march after police ask NULGE to call off protest

The police in Rivers State on Monday allowed former chairmen of Rivers Local Councils to hold protest marches in some parts of Rivers, the same day that the police Nigerian Local Government Employees Union (NULGE) in the state to suspend its planned protest.

Most of the former local council chairmen are supporters of Nyesom Wike, a former governor of Rivers State who is currently engaged in a protracted political struggle with his successor, Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

Mr Wike is now FCT Minister.

The state police had taken over the state’s 23 council secretariats since last Wednesday after violent clashes between supporters of Governor Fubara and those of Mr Wike left two persons, including a policeman, dead.

The closure of the council secretariats left local government employees without access to their offices. This situation forced NULGE to give the police a four-day ultimatum to vacate the secretariats or face protests.

The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) in Rivers State had expressed their support for the planned protest by NULGE, PREMIUM TIMES reported.

But the state police spokesperson, Grace Iringe-Koko, advised the NULGE to cancel the planned protest in a statement on Sunday, a day before the ultimatum expired.

“Police leadership respects the right to lawful assembly but has received credible intelligence indicating a possible infiltration of the planned protest on Monday.

“Gangsters are planning to hijack the protests and create chaos in the state.

“Consequently, the command advises the organizers to cancel the planned protest in order to prevent a possible breakdown of law and order,” said Police Commissioner Iringe-Koko.

In a joint statement on Sunday, the state’s unions said they had apparently complied with the police order and uncovered plans by “some miscreants” to create chaos in the state. The plan was backed by an ultimatum to the Inspector General of Police to order the police to vacate the council secretariats.

The union distanced itself from the “evil plan” which it said was aimed at encouraging the call of “troublemakers” to declare a state of emergency in the state.

“The Rivers State Organised Labour Union has not directed any individual or group of persons to engage in any form of industrial action or demonstration following the lockout of our members in various local governments in the state.

“The affected member unions, in particular NULGE, are hereby instructed to remain on standby until further notice in order to be able to take possible lawful industrial action,” the unions said.

But some former council chairmen allied with Mr Wike staged a protest march in Port Harcourt on Monday, the same day police asked NULGE to cancel the planned protest.

The state police spokesperson, Ms Iringe-Koko, did not respond to calls and text messages seeking comment on the development.

Stay away from the council until the court decision is made – former council chairman

In an interview with PREMIUM TIMES on Monday, former Ikwerre Local Council Chairman, Samuel Nwanosike, said former chairmen in all 23 local council wards are protesting.

“We want everyone to stay away from the council until the court issues a valid order that we can follow,” said Mr Nwanosike. The police also take a similar position.

“We will not allow gangsters to occupy our offices and take away the materials and resources we have worked hard to acquire.

“We have confidence in the police, but people are already blackmailing the police – those who are already involved in the matter, such as members of the transition committees,” he said when we asked him if they did not trust the police to be able to protect the secretariats.

Citing the protest notice previously issued by NULGE in case the police fail to vacate the secretariat, Mr Nwanosike said that members of NULGE cannot act as judges in their own case.

“For example, there are NULGE members who are civil servants and who did not resign from their posts before taking up their posts on the Transitional Committee. Some of them are chairmen of various NULGE councils.

“They are now part of the (executive) committee, how can they be judges in their own case? They tell the police that they want to go to work. If you allow such evildoers to intimidate the police, how long can the police keep watch?”

Officials appointed as members of the Transitional Committee

In a statement on Sunday, former state council chairmen listed the names of 21 officials and active members of NULGE who were appointed and sworn in by Governor Fubara as members of the state transition committee.

The statement was forwarded to PREMIUM TIMES by Mr Nwanosike.

Mr Nwanosike particularly pointed out that Thankgod Ichem, a member of the recently appointed Transitional Committee, did not resign from his position as an official in the Ikwerre Local Government Council before assuming political office.

PREMIUM TIMES confirmed that Mr Ichem’s name is on the list of transition committee members vetted and approved by the Rivers House of Assembly for Ikwerre Local Council.

ALSO READ:Minister: How the $500 million Nigeria for Women project will boost fish exports

However, this newspaper was unable to reach Mr Ichem to confirm that he had resigned before taking up his post.

When contacted, Nelson Chukwudi, Governor Fubara’s spokesman, denied knowledge of the appointment of officials to transition committees in the state.