The Rivers Councillors’ Forum has expressed alarm about suspected preparations by some local government chairmen to disrupt peace in the state through protests.
The Forum alleges that the recent salary payment by Governor Siminalayi Fubara has sparked these protests.
In a communique issued after a meeting in Port Harcourt, the Councillors alleged that the LGA chairmen are planning to mobilise “miscreants” to cause chaos.
The Forum stated that the chairmen, whose terms are ending soon, are resorting to making “unwarranted and unguided statements” to sabotage the governor’s administration.
They, however, praised Governor Fubara’s commitment to service delivery and his proactive and peace-driven policies.
According to the communique: “Our attention has been drawn to a purported plot by the Local Government Chairmen to mobilise some miscreants in the guise of Councillors forum to cause mayhem in the state.
“The Chairmen whose tenure is winding down in a few day’s time, have resorted to making unwarranted and unguided statements to sabotage the government of His Excellency, Ama-Opusenibo Sir Siminialayi Fubara, GSSRS, KSC.
“It is on record that His Excellency has paid all civil servants as well as the political class, hence any kind of political sabotage in form of protest amounts to nothing but a nuisance by the local government chairmen.
“His Excellency, Ama-Opusenibo Sir Siminialayi Fubara GSSRS, KSC, the Governor of Rivers is passionate, dedicated, and committed to service delivery to the people of Rivers State, it can only take those that do not mean well for the State to oppose the proactive and people-driven policies of His Administration.
“His Excellency has paid salaries promptly, and his projects and programs are very visible and people-oriented.
“In fact, there’s no better time to speak, than now, on how wicked, greedy, and self-centred these Chairmen have been in their ill-mannered treatment meted out on the Councillors and LGAs at large.
“These Chairmen receive timely huge amounts of allocations and IGRs, yet they have done little to show for it, say for one or two LGAs that actually used the funds judiciously to the benefit of the people of their LGAs.
“It is interesting to know that, Councillors under the dispensation of these LGA Chairmen have been nothing short of slaves. No wardrobe allowances, no training, no car loans, no constituency projects in our various Wards, no severance package, not even a conducive legislative complex for us to do our work, yet, they have the mind to sabotage the efforts of His Excellency.
“This is the reason they are illegally clamoring through the back door to elongate their tenure in office, which we (Councillors) are not part of it, and disassociate ourselves from such. Their actions are nothing short of greed and selfishness.”
