Councillors under the aegis of the Rivers Councillors’ Forum have raised alarm over an alleged plot by some local government chairmen to disrupt the peace in the state through protests.
News About Nigeria reports that the Forum claims these protests are motivated by the recent payment of salaries by Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
The councillors made their views known in a communiqué issued after a meeting in Port Harcourt.
They alleged that the LGA chairmen are planning to mobilise “miscreants” to cause chaos.
The Forum stated that the chairmen, whose terms are ending soon, are resorting to making “unwarranted and unguided statements” to sabotage the governor’s administration.
The councillors praised Governor Fubara’s commitment to service delivery and his proactive and peace-driven policies.
They noted that the governor has paid all civil servants and politicians, making any protest unnecessary.
The Forum also commended the governor’s projects and programmes, which they described as visible and people-oriented.
The councillors criticised the LGA chairmen for their alleged ill-treatment of councillors and LGAs, despite receiving timely allocations and internally generated revenue.
They accused the chairmen of being greedy and self-centred and of attempting to elongate their tenure illegally.
Governor Fubara had earlier admonished local government chairmen to conduct themselves peacefully and avoid any form of violence, urging them to remain calm until the end of their tenure.
He warned against hurting anyone in the cause of expressing support, stating that such actions would not be forgiven.
“Let anyone not deceive you, if you deliberately hurt anybody in the cause of expressing your useless support, nobody will forgive you, you will pay for it. So, I’m begging everyone, please conduct yourselves,” Fubara said.
