Youths Occupy Rivers LGA Secretariats as Evans Bipi, Ihunwo, Others Reportedly Make Governor Fubara’s Interim Management Team List

On Tuesday, gunshots echoed through the headquarters of the Port Harcourt City Local Government Area on Moscow Road as supporters of Rivers Governor Sir Siminialayi Fubara took control of several local government councils’ headquarters. This occupation aimed to prevent local government chairmen and officials contesting tenure extensions from returning to office.

The unrest erupted following the expiration of the chairmen’s tenures on June 17. Despite a state court ruling nullifying a contentious amendment that extended their terms, the officials, backed by Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Chief Nyesom Wike, insisted on remaining in office. The protesters, opposing this move, occupied the secretariats to enforce the expiration of the officials’ terms.

The situation escalated at the Port Harcourt City LGA headquarters when pro-Fubara youths resisted attempts by a heavily armed police squad to disperse them. Witnesses reported that police fired shots into the air to scatter the crowd, who had set up canopies and plastic chairs to stage their protest.

One protester, who spoke anonymously, described their demonstration as peaceful, aimed at ensuring former council chairman Allwell Ihunda vacated his office. He claimed the police unexpectedly fired at them, escalating tensions.

Local youth leader Ichemanti alleged that a protester was shot by the police, although Rivers Police spokesperson Grace Iringe-Koko denied that police were responsible for the gunfire. Iringe-Koko confirmed that police were deployed to maintain order and that senior police officials were actively monitoring the situation.

In Obio-Akpor, hundreds of youths led by Fubara supporter Amb. Ihunwo Chijoke occupied the council’s secretariat, singing and drumming in solidarity. Similar actions occurred in Eleme, where protesters claimed their chairman had fled to Canada, and other local governments, including Ahoada East, Emohua, and Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni, where youths vowed to hold the secretariats until further instructions from Governor Fubara.

Protesters in various LGAs insisted the councils were public property, not the private domain of any official. In Emohua, a youth leader highlighted the community’s struggles with electricity and called for integration into the governor’s political movement.

Governor Fubara has reportedly prepared a list of Interim Management Team (IMT) members for the local governments, which will be submitted to lawmakers for approval. The proposed IMT chairpersons include Promise Reginald for Omuma, David Omereji for Emohua, Darlington Orji for Ikwerre, Evans Bipi for Ogu-Bolu, Ihunwo Chijioke for Obio-Akpor, and Orolosama Amachree for Asari-Toru.