Pro-police Protests Rock Rivers LG Secretariats

•FHC insists on hearing suit seeking removal of Amaewhule, 26 others

•Princewill: We need peace to attract investments

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

Former chairmen of the 23 local government areas in Rivers State and their supporters yesterday, embarked on a peaceful protests to support the police, who had barricaded the councils secretariats.

At the same time, the Martin Amaewhule led Rivers State House of Assembly has suffered setback in its bid to stall a suit against them by BOOT Party at the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt.

This was as a former gubernatorial candidate in the state, Tonye Princewill, has warned that the state needed peace to attract the much-needed investment that would drive its socio-economic growth.

The chairmen contesting tenure elongation and their loyalists stormed their various secretariats in solidarity with the ongoing barricades of the secretariats pending the decision of the Court of Appeal on Speaker Martins Amaewhule-led House of Assembly.

At Ikwerre Local Government Area, Samuel Nwanosike, led the protesters to the point of police barricade and described himself as the properly elected chairman of the council.

Nwanosike, who told the Police Area Commander of Ikwerre LGA that they would never disobey the police, said they only decided to embark on the demonstration following information that some labour leaders had mobilised to harass the police out of the council.

He explained that the failure of the state governor to conduct elections in the LGAs compelled the Martins Amaewhule-led House of Assembly to amend the law granting six-month tenure extension to the councils’ chairmen.

“We are not here to foment trouble but if they want to take their luck too far, we are here to state that we own this council. I and this men and women here laboured and inconvenienced ourselves to rebuild this council from scratch when these hoodlums struggling to enter this council embezzled all that was available to them and refused to work for this council.

“Our governor refused to conduct elections as provided by law and you know in governance, there is no vacuum. We are here to state that as long those miscreants don’t come here we will continue to stand by the side eat and drink.”

In Obio-Akpor, Mr. George Ariolu, who said he remained the authentic chairman pending the decision of the court on tenure elongation, led residents of the council to the police barricades.

He said they were out to defend democracy and the rule of law against the forces plotting to force the police to vacate the councils to perpetrate violence.

Hundreds of pro-police protesters also marched to the Port Harcourt City Local Government secretariat along Bank Road and commended the police for professionally remaining neutral in discharging their responsibilities of maintaining law and order in the state.

They insisted that the action of the police was for the overall interests of Rivers, saying it had forestalled breakout of violence in the 23 local government areas.

One of the conveners, who identified himself as Kingsley Ohunda said, “We are Rivers people and as you can see this a harmless and an armless protest.”

In Buguma, the Asari-Toru LGA, Onengiyeofori George, who continued to lay claims to tenure elongation, alongside his supporters marched through the streets of the town as they sang songs in solidarity with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.

FHC Insist on Hearing Suit Seeking Removal of Amaewhule, 26 others

The Martin Amaewhule led Rivers State House of Assembly, has suffered setback in its bid to stall a suit against them by BOOT Party at the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt.

When the case registered in suit number FHC/PHC/269/2024 was mentioned yesterday, before Justice Stephen Daylop-Pam, counsel for Amaewhule and 26 other lawmakers, Ferdinand Orbih, a (Senior Advocate of Nigeria), sought that the matter be transferred to another judge.

Orbih had drawn the attention of the court to a petition written by his client to the Chief Judge of Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, urging him to direct the matter to another judge.

The SAN, at the court argued that the matter should not be heard pending the response to their petition before the CJ.

However, following arguments by counsels to other parties involved in the matter, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Rivers State Government and others, the judge insisted on going ahead with the matter.

Justice Daylop-Pam stated that he has not been served a copy of the said petition or a counter affidavit, stressing that Amaewhule and 26 others have not also filed their response to the suit.

He however, adjourned the matter till Friday, June 28, this month for hearing.

Other parties in the matter had earlier told the court that they have not been served the processes, while the bailiff who served the processes was also nowhere to be found to show proof of service.

Princewill: We Need Peace to Attract Investments to Rivers

An entrepreneur and former gubernatorial candidate in Rivers State, Tonye Princewill, has said the state needed peace to attract the much-needed investment that would drive its socio-economic growth.

Princewill noted that the narrative about Rivers within the international community was negative and that it has prevented investors from coming in.

Princewill, who made the assertion yesterday, during a meeting with journalists in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, regretted the challenges he had to go through in attracting investments to the state.

He said at the present, he was bringing in investments in the area of agriculture, health and skills entrepreneurship that would create jobs for people in the state.

He, however, harped on the need for a peaceful and secured environment to enable the investors agree to come in and do business.