Wike’s allies maintain protest march after police ask NULGE to droop protest

The police in Rivers State on Monday allowed former chairpersons of Rivers native councils to carry protest marches in some elements of Rivers, the identical day the police had suggested the Nigeria Union of Native Authorities Staff (NULGE) within the state to droop its deliberate protest.

A lot of the former chairpersons of the native councils are supporters of Nyesom Wike, a former governor of Rivers, who’s engaged in a protracted political battle along with his successor, Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

Mr Wike is now the FCT minister.

The police within the state had since final Wednesday taken over the 23 council secretariats within the state after violent clashes between supporters of Governor Fubara and people of Mr Wike resulted within the demise of two individuals, together with a police officer.

The closure of the council secretariats has prevented native authorities staff from gaining access to their workplaces, a scenario that pressured NULGE to present police a four-day ultimatum to vacate the secretariats or face protest.

The organised labour – the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Commerce Union Congress (TUC) in Rivers State had expressed assist for the deliberate protest by NULGE, PREMIUM TIMES reported.

However the police spokesperson within the state, Grace Iringe-Koko, in an announcement on Sunday, a day earlier than the expiration of the ultimatum suggested the NULGE to droop the deliberate protest.

“The police command respects the fitting to lawful meeting however has acquired credible intelligence indicating potential infiltration of the deliberate protest on Monday.

“Hoodlums plan to hijack the protest and instigate chaos within the state.

“Consequently, the command advises the organisers to droop the deliberate protest to avert any potential breakdown of regulation and order,” Mrs Iringe-Koko, a police superintendent, mentioned.

In obvious compliance with the police order, the organised labour within the state in a joint assertion issued on Sunday mentioned it had uncovered plans by “some miscreants” to trigger mayhem within the state below the duvet of ultimatum it issued to the inspector common of police to order the police to vacate council secretariats.

The union dissociated itself from the “depraved plan” which it mentioned was aimed toward selling the decision for a declaration of a state of emergency within the state by “mischief makers”.

“Rivers State Organised Labour has not directed anybody or group of individuals to embark on any type of industrial motion or demonstration following the lockout of our members at numerous native authorities councils within the state.

“Impacted associates union, particularly NULGE is hereby directed to stay on standby till additional discover for possible lawful industrial motion,” organised labour mentioned.

However some former council chairpersons who’re allies of Mr Wike held a protest march in Port Harcourt on Monday, the identical day the police suggested NULGE to droop its deliberate protest.

The police spokesperson within the state, Mrs Iringe-Koko didn’t reply to calls and textual content messages searching for her feedback on the event.

Steer clear of council till court docket verdict – Ex-council chairperson

In an interview with PREMIUM TIMES on Monday, Samuel Nwanosike, the previous chairperson of Ikwerre native council mentioned the previous chairpersons are protesting throughout the 23 council areas.

“We would like all people to keep away from the council till the court docket offers a sound order for us to observe,” Mr Nwanosike mentioned, the same place which is canvassed by the police.

“We won’t enable hoodlums to take over our workplaces and cart away hard-earned supplies and assets we’ve got gathered.

“Now we have confidence within the police however the individuals are already blackmailing the police – those that are already concerned within the matter like members of the caretaker committees,” he mentioned, when requested if they don’t belief the capability of the police to guard the secretariats.

Citing the protest discover earlier issued by NULGE if police didn’t vacate the secretariat, Mr Nwanosike mentioned members of NULGE can’t be a choose in their very own case.

“For example, there are NULGE people who find themselves civil servants who didn’t resign their place earlier than taking on appointment within the caretaker committee. A few of them are chairpersons of varied councils of NULGE.

“They’re now a part of the (caretaker) committee, how can they be a choose in their very own matter? They’re telling the police that they need to go to work. In case you enable such miscreants to intimidate the police, for a way lengthy can the police maintain guard to it?”

Civil servants appointed as caretaker committee members

Former council chairpersons within the state had in an announcement on Sunday listed the names of 21 civil servants and lively members of NULGE who had been appointed and inaugurated as members of caretaker committee within the state by Governor Fubara.

The assertion was forwarded to PREMIUM TIMES by Mr Nwanosike.

Mr Nwanosike particularly identified that Thankgod Ichem, a member of the lately inaugurated caretaker committee didn’t resign as a civil servant in Ikwerre native council earlier than taking on the political appointment.

PREMIUM TIMES confirmed that Mr Ichem’s title made the checklist of the caretaker committee members screened and accepted by the Rivers Home of Meeting for Ikwerre native council.

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This newspaper couldn’t, nonetheless, attain Mr Ichem to verify if he had resigned earlier than taking on the appointment.

When contacted, Nelson Chukwudi, the spokesperson to Governor Fubara denied information of the appointment of civil servants into caretaker committees within the state.