The Rivers State chapter of the Association of Local Government Areas of Nigeria has declared total support for the impeachment of the State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara.
The chairmen accused Governor Siminalayi Fubara of withholding funds intended for the state’s 23 local government areas.
The state ALGON revealed that the action had deprived them of their roles in the administration of the third tier of government.
Fubara had earlier warned all heads and officials of the 23 local government areas in the state against appearing before the Rivers Assembly, threatening to sack any such official who disobeys the directive.
The governor’s directive was conveyed via an online circular signed by Ebirieneuket Nteile C, Director of Information and Communications for the Chairman of the Local Government Service Commission, dated Tuesday, May 7, 2024.
The directive is in furtherance of a full-scale political war between the governor and members of the Martin Amaewhule-led State House of Assembly on one hand, and between the governor and the Minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike, on the other.
But the LG chairmen said the action of the Governor is tantamount to proscribing local government councils in the state, even as they backed the call by the Caretaker Committee Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Tony Okocha, for the State House of Assembly to commence impeachment procedings against the Governor.
The State ALGON Chairman and Chairman of Port Harcourt City Local Government Area, Allwell Ihunda, stated this at a news briefing in Port Harcourt on Wednesday.
Ihunda stated, “It has come to the notice of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, Rivers State chapter, that the Rivers State Government, under the leadership of His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has neglected, failed, and deliberately refused to hold the statutory Joint Account Allocation Committee Meeting which is the prerequisite for the release and disbursement of funds due to the local government in the State Joint Local Government Accounts.
“And has continued to withhold the statutory allocations due to the 23 local government councils of Rivers State since April 2024.
“And in the case of Emuoha LGA since March 2024 till date for no just course, thereby starving the third tier of the government of the funds required to discharge its statutory functions in the administration of the local government areas.”
Earlier, the Martins Amaewhule-led Rivers State House of Assembly condemned the recent statement by Governor Siminalayi Fubara, describing the lawmakers as “non-existent.”
The Majority Leader of the Assembly, Major Jack, raised the issue on the floor of the House during plenary on Wednesday.
The lawmakers described the statement by Governor Fubara as “unguarded”, and a direct insult to Nigeria
