Ikwere LGA Chairman Urges Tinubu to End Rivers State Crisis; Blames Governor for Inciting Violence
The political saga in Ikwerre Local Government Area took an intense turn as former Executive Chairman Samuel Nwanosike defied Governor Siminalayi Fubara's directives and re-entered the council secretariat on Tuesday.
Nwanosike, a staunch supporter of former Governor Nyesom Wike, risked confrontation by showing up at the secretariat despite the governor's orders for Heads of Local Government Administration (HLGAs) to take charge following a recent court ruling.
Accusing Governor Fubara of stirring insecurity in Ikwerre and the state at large, Nwanosike alleged that armed youths, allegedly supported by Fubara, had been targeting local government officials and the police in various areas.
In a plea for intervention, the embattled chairman called on President Bola Tinubu to mediate in the escalating crisis that has gripped the region.
The genesis of the conflict lies in a court ruling recognizing a three-man House of Assembly, which invalidated the tenure extension approved by the 27-member Assembly aligned with Wike. In defiance of the ruling, local government chairmen, including Nwanosike, have insisted on retaining their positions for an additional six months.
As tensions rise and rival factions dig in, Ikwerre remains a focal point in the ongoing power struggle within the state's political landscape.