KROCCITYONTV NEWS: Tension in Rivers as APC, PDP members clash

FROM CHRIS ANUCHA, PORT HARCOURT Members of the All Pro­gressives Congress(APC) and Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) yesterday, clashed at the Secretar­iat of the Emohua Local Government Council, following an attempt by some APC members to prevent the caretaker committee chairman from inaugurating coun­cillors and other officers. The caretaker com­mittee chairmen were in­augurated by Governor Nyesom Wike at the Government House at 8 am on Thursday, July 9, 2015, few hours after the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, sacked the 22 elected council chairmen. People were seen run­ning helter-skelter along the East-West , the location of the secretariat, as some youths shot sporadically and destroyed property, including vehicles, over the control of the council’s secretariat. Some travellers, who were plying the East-West Road, caught up in the crossfire, abandoned their vehicles and fled, while those who were in com­mercial vehicles were seen rushing out of the ve­hicles and taking to their heels. Both human and ve­hicular movements were halted for hours. One of the drivers was, however, not lucky as his vehicle crashed, in attempt to move away from the chaotic zone. When Satur­day Sun visited the scene, a vehicle was also seen burning and according to an eyewitness, who re­fused to disclose his name, it was set on fire by some angry youths. Apart from Emohua, other council secretari­ats barricaded by the police and other security agents, included, Ikwerre, Buguma, Port Harcourt City, Obio/Akpor, Asai- Toru, among others. The rece crisis has helped to heighten tension in the state. In Ikwerre Local Government Area, Move­ments were restricted for hours. Saturday Sun also gathered that it was only the caretaker committee chairman of Eleme Local Government Council, who was able to inaugurate the councillors and other of­ficials yesterday. The recent crisis in the state followed the judg­ment of Justice Lambo Akanbi of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, on Thursday, July 9, 2015, which sacked the 22 local government council chair­men and their councillors; who were sworn in on May 26, 2015, by former Gov­ernor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi; after their elec­tion, conducted by the Riv­ers State Independent Elec­toral Commission(RSIEC) on May 23, 2015. Few hours after the judgment, the elected chairmen of the local gov­ernment councils vowed not to obey the court order, while the All Pro­gressives Congress, Riv­ers State chapter, through a statement issued by the state Chairman, Dr Ibiamu Ikanya, also urged them to continue to be office, in defiance of the court judgment. Also, the Association of Local Government in Nigeria(ALGON) is kick­ing against the Justice Akanbi’s judgment, saying it would appeal it. Supporting the sealing off of the local govern­ment council, Barrister Charles Ariolu, described the judgment as null and void. He also urged the elected local government officials not to obey the court order. He explained that the judge had no right to go continue with the case, when the National Indus­trial Court, Bayelsa had ruled that status quo be maintained , describing the judgment as an abuse of court process.