Rivers State LGA Chairmen hail Governor Wike for suspending three of their members, warns APC to back off

*ALGON warns APC Spokesman for criticising Governor Wike and issuing a-7 day ultimatum to reverse suspension of their own.

BY IBRAHIM BAKARE

Members of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria ALGON, in Rivers, which is the umbrella body of Local Government Chairmen  have thrown their full weight behind Governor Nyesom Wike for suspending their Colleagues in three local government the State.

They have also issued a stern warning to Hon. Ogbonna Nwuke, Spokesman for  the All Progressives Congress,APC, and  a former member of the House of Representatives for criticising the action of Governor Wike against their Colleagues who are Chairmen of Abua-Odual, Degema and Port Harcourt City local Council areas and issuing a 7 day ultimatum to Governor Wike to reverse the suspension. 

ALGON in a statement by its Public Relations Officer and Chairman of Ahoada West Local Government, Hope Ikiriko, said “the suspension of the Chairman of Port Harcourt local government, Victor Ihunwo, and his counterparts in Degema and Abua-Odual local governments by Governor Wike was in line with the Rivers State Local Government Law No. 5 of 2018 and the constitution”.

Hope Ikiriko said it was unfortunate the Ogbonna Nwuke will hide under the guise of APC to issue an ultimatum to Governor Wike to recall the suspended LGA Chairmen. 

He said the suspension of the three Chairmen is “a correctional measure and warned Ogbonna Nwuke not to bring the crisis in the APC to the PDP.”

The statement also warned that ALGON will not hesitate to deal with anyone who will want to hide under the suspension of the three Chairmen to cast aspersions on Governor Wike who has provided purposeful leadership in the State. 

The statement also said Ogbonna Nwuke failed to speak on very disturbing issues generated by the APC-led federal government and the corruption rocking the NDDC that has impoverished the region but rather chose to divert the attention of the public.

Recall could be made that APC in Rivers State had criticised the suspension of the three Local Government Chairmen as illegal and unconstitutional.

According APC: “We have studied the circumstances surrounding the recent order issued by the Governor. We have found out that the State Governor acted outside the dictates of the Nigerian Constitution. The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria recognizes the existence of three tiers of Government. They are Federal, State and Local Governments. 

“There is no section of the Nigerian Constitution which allows the Executive arm of Government  in any State, or a State Governor as head of the executive, to punish elected officials without referring perceived acts of misdemeanor against elected officials at the third tier level to the House which has the power of oversight.”

Hope Ikiriko, ALGON Spokesman in Rivers and Chairman of Ahoada-West LGA

Hon.Ogbonna Nwuke, APC Spokesman in Rivers and former member House of Representatives.