The chairmen of the Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Rivers State have rallied behind the All Progressives Congress’s (APC) plea for the Rivers State House of Assembly to initiate impeachment proceedings against Governor Sir Siminalayi Fubara.
The 21 LGA chairmen, represented by the Association Of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) Rivers State Chapter, assert that this action is crucial for the protection of democracy and the enforcement of the Rule of Law.
Hon. Allwell Ihunda, ALGON Chairman and leader of Port Harcourt City LGA, criticized the governor for withholding LGA allocations since April, labeling it as an act of executive overreach.
“It has come to the notice of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) Rivers State Chapter that the Rivers State Government under the leadership of His Excellency, Sir Siminialayi Fubara, GSSRS, has neglected, failed and deliberately refused to hold the statutory Joint Account Allocation Committee Meeting (JAAC);
“… which is the prerequisite for the release and disbursement of funds due to the Local Governments in the State Joint Local Government Account and has continued to withhold the statutory allocation due to the 23 Local Governments Councils of Rivers State since the month of April, 2024 (and in the case of Emohua since March, 2024) till date for no just cause, thereby starving the third tier of government of the funds required to discharge its statutory functions in the administration of the Local Government Areas.
“It has also come to our notice that the Governor of Rivers State held a meeting with Heads of Local Government Administration (HLGA), Heads of Personnel Management (HPM), Treasurers of Local Governments and other Directors on Monday the 6th day of May, 2024 in Government House Port Harcourt whereat he directed them to go and compile for presentation to him of the salary vouchers;
“… and over heads of civil servants (excluding Chairmen, Vice Chairmen, Councilors and other political office holders), for the various Local Governments with a view to unlawfully dipping his hands into Local Government funds to pay staff salaries directly without the involvement of the democratically elected Local Government Chairmen.”
The ALGON chairman urged the State House of Assembly to intervene and curb the governor’s oversteps, emphasizing the need to respect the constitutional framework that supports the local government system.
“This conduct of the Rivers State Government which smacks of executive high-handedness and lawlessness is not only despicable and unconscionable in a democratic setting, but is also unconstitutional given the clear provisions of sections 3(6), 7 and 162 of the 1999 Constitution;
“…as amended which not only guarantees the system of Local Governments by democratically elected Local Government Councils across the Federation of Nigeria including in Rivers State, but which also vests the Local Government Councils with the right to receive statutory allocations from the Federation Account paid through the State Joint Allocation Account.
“It is even more worrisome to note that the Governor of Rivers State took the decision to withhold the statutory allocation in this case in flagrant violation of the subsisting interim order of the Federal High Court (Hon. Justice J. K. Omotosho (J) entered in suit No.FHC/ABJ/CS/537/2024 on the 25th day of April, 2024);
“…which mandated all the parties to the suit, including the Rivers State Government (who is the 7th Defendant therein) to maintain the status quo and not to take any step that will render the pending motion for interlocutory injunction before the court nugatory.
“We therefore call on the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and the Federal Government of Nigeria to intervene by calling the Governor of Rivers State to order with a view to avoiding a breakdown of governance, law and order in Rivers State.
“We call on the Honourable Members of the Rivers State House of Assembly to take appropriate steps to check the excesses of the Governor of Rivers State and ensure the survival and sustenance of democratic institutions in Rivers State.”
