FCT minister, and former governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike.
Political supporters of the former governor of Rivers State, now the FCT minister, Nyesom Wike, on Monday held a protest in favour of their group interest amid police order barring others in the ongoing Rivers crisis.
The supporters, who are former chairmen of the Rivers local government areas, protested in some parts of the state on the same day the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) was prevented from holding social demonstrations by the state Police.
Nyesom Wike in political tussle with his successor, governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Governor Fubara’s supporters on last Wednesday agitated for the appointment of new leadership for the Rivers State 23 local government areas, arguing that the tenure of the outgoing chairpersons had long expired.
This sparked a serious state crisis leading to the death of two persons, including a police man.
The police in the state on Wednesday besieged the 23 council secretariats in the wake of the violent encounter between Wike’s supporters and Governor Fubara.
The county’s workers are restricted access to their offices in the council secretariats by the state police, to which the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) has reacted with a four-day order, urging the officers to leave the council secretariats or they would protest.
Rivers Police command say NULGE’s planned protest may pose threat to State security
A spokesman to the Rivers State Police command, Grace Iringe-Koko, on Sunday, which was a day before the end of the four-day stipulation ordered the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) withhold any intention to launch a protest.
“The police command respects the right to lawful assembly but has received credible intelligence indicating potential infiltration of the planned protest on Monday,” said the police spokesperson, Grace Iringe-Koko, in the Sunday statement.
“Hoodlums plan to hijack the protest and instigate chaos in the state.
“Consequently, the command advises the organisers to suspend the planned protest to avert any possible breakdown of law and order,” he added.
Organised labour denies directing members to launch protest amid Rivers crisis.
The leadership of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and others, Rivers State chapter, in a consigned statement on Sunday, declared no agreement with NULGE for a planned protest.
“Rivers State Organised Labour has not directed anyone or group of persons to embark on any form of industrial action or demonstration following the lockout of our members at various local government councils in the state,” the statement read.
“Impacted affiliates union, especially NULGE is hereby directed to remain on standby until further notice for likely lawful industrial action.”
