In Rivers State, former local government chairmen have accused Governor Siminalayi Fubara of orchestrating a Tuesday protest that targeted the residence of his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, in Port Harcourt. The protest, driven by widespread hunger, saw demonstrators laying siege to Wike’s home on Ada George Road, chanting slogans and hurling insults.
The protest, which almost resulted in a breach of Wike’s residence, was thwarted by a strong police presence. Following the incident, the former chairmen, aligned with Wike’s administration, have threatened to retaliate against Fubara’s properties.
Dr. Chidi Lloyd, a former Chairman of Emuoha Local Government Area and spokesperson for the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, Rivers State chapter, alleged that Governor Fubara was behind the protest. Lloyd warned that the ex-chairmen would mobilize their supporters to target Fubara’s development project on Forces Avenue, which spans 32 plots. He further criticized Fubara for alleged mismanagement of state funds and warned of potential severe consequences if similar attacks occurred in the future.
In response, State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Joseph Johnson, dismissed the ex-chairmen’s claims as irrelevant and described them as meddling in matters beyond their remit. Johnson criticized the former officials for their attempts to destabilize the current administration and labeled their actions as desperate and futile.
Johnson also denied any wrongdoing by the state government and attributed the protests to their own frustrations and unsuccessful attempts to influence state affairs.
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