May 8, (THEWILL) – Governor Siminalayi Fubara has barred all heads and officials of the 23 local government areas in the state from appearing before the Amaewhule-led Rivers State House of Assembly.
The Governor had earlier described the Amaewhule-led Assembly as non-existent.
In a circular signed by Ebirieneuket Nteile C, Director of Information and Communications for Chairman, Local Government Service Commission, the Governor warned that any Local Government Officer who appeared before the lawmakers loyal to the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, led by Martin Amaewhule, would be sacked.
Dated Tuesday, May 7, 2024, the circular reads: “I am directed to inform you/ all officers of the 23 Local Government Councils in Rivers State not to honour/appear before the Members of Assembly or any purported invitation by anybody or group of persons in any guise without the permission of the Acting Chairman, Local Government Service Commission.
“Any staff who disobeys or violates this instruction will be dismissed accordingly from service.
“Treat as very important, please.”
Meanwhile, Chairmen of the Local Government Areas have expressed support for the impeachment of Governor Siminialayi Fubara.
Recall that the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, on Tuesday, asked the Amaewhule-led Rivers Assembly to immediately commence the impeachment process of Governor Fubara.
The LGA chairmen under the umbrella of the Association Of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), Rivers State Chapter, said Fubara’s impeachment was necessary to safeguard democracy and instil the rule of law in the state.
Addressing pressmen in Port Harcourt, Chairman of ALGON in the state, Allwell Ihunda, who is also the Chairman of Port Harcourt City LGA, accused the Governor of withholding allocation of the LGAs since April.
Ihunda, who described Fubara’s action as executive rascality, said the Governor has refused to convene the Joint Account Allocation Committee Meeting (JAAC), which is the prerequisite for the release and disbursement of funds between the state and LGAs.
“It has come to the notice of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Rivers State Chapter, that the Rivers State Government, under the leadership of His Excellency, Sir Siminialayi Fubara, GSSRS, has neglected, failed and deliberately refused to hold the statutory Joint Account Allocation Committee Meeting (JAAC), which is the prerequisite for the release and disbursement of funds due to the Local Governments in the State Joint Local Government Account and has continued to withhold the statutory allocation due to the 23 Local Governments Councils of Rivers State since the month of April 2024 (and in the case of Emohua since March 2024) till date for no just cause, thereby starving the third tier of government of the funds required to discharge its statutory functions in the administration of the Local Government Areas.
“It has also come to our notice that the Governor of Rivers State held a meeting with Heads of Local Government Administration (HLGA), Heads of Personnel Management (HPM), Treasurers of Local Governments and other Directors on Monday, the 6th day of May 2024, in Government House, Port Harcourt, whereat he directed them to go and compile for presentation to him of the salary vouchers and overheads of civil servants (excluding Chairmen, Vice Chairmen, Councillors and other political office holders), for the various Local Governments with a view to unlawfully dipping his hands into Local Government funds to pay staff salaries directly without the involvement of the democratically elected Local Government Chairmen.
“This conduct of the Rivers State Government, which smacks of executive high-handedness and lawlessness, is not only despicable and unconscionable in a democratic setting but is also unconstitutional given the clear provisions of sections 3(6), 7 and 162 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which not only guarantees the system of Local Governments by democratically elected Local Government Councils across the Federation of Nigeria, including in Rivers State, but which also vests the Local Government Councils with the right to receive statutory allocations from the Federation Account, paid through the State Joint Allocation Account.
“It is even more worrisome to note that the Governor of Rivers State took the decision to withhold the statutory allocation, in this case, in flagrant violation of the subsisting interim order of the Federal High Court (Hon. Justice J. K. Omotosho (J) entered in suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/537/2024 on the 25th day of April 2024), which mandated all the parties to the suit, including the Rivers State Government (who is the 7th Defendant therein), to maintain the status quo and not to take any step that will render the pending motion for interlocutory injunction before the court nugatory.
“We, therefore, 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 the Honourable Members of the Rivers State House of Assembly to take appropriate steps to check the excesses of the Governor of Rivers State and ensure the survival and sustenance of democratic institutions in Rivers State.”
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