De tension wey dey between Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, wey be Minister of Federal Capital Territory now, don reach boiling point during di recent local government elections for di state.
Before di election, two court rulings come out, one for and one against di conduct of di election by Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission led by Justice Adolphus Enebeli (retd.). Di two main political parties, All Progressives Congress faction led by Tony Okocha and Peoples Democratic Party under Aaron Chukwuemeka, pull out of di election because dem say no due process.
Fubara prepare his loyalists to join Action Peoples Party so he can control di local government structure after di election. But di people against am try hard to stop am, and dat’s why di LG election of October 5 be marred by violence.
In di early hours of Election Day, two explosions happen: one at APC secretariat along Aba Road in Port Harcourt and di other at Ohio/Akpor LG secretariat. Police say di first explosion happen around 3am, and dem see three black Toyota Hilux vans speeding away from di scene.
Di violence worsen when Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, order Rivers State Police Command to unseal di 23 LG secretariats 24 hours after Fubara swear in di elected council chairman. On Monday, October 7, 2024, di elected chairmen try to enter di reopened secretariats but meet stiff resistance.
Ikwerre LGA be di worst hit, where youths alleged to be supporters of di FCT minister launch attack with dynamite, destroying di newly built council headquarters in Isiokpo. Di same thing happen at Nchia-Ogale, where Eleme LG headquarters was located. Youths opposed to di election outcome invade di secretariat, throw dynamite, and flee.
Di elected LG chairman, Brian Gokpa, accuse supporters of di FCT minister of masterminding di attack. He say, “Reaching here this morning we saw that di secretariat was being burnt down by hoodlums… We are going to start from scratch.”
During di melee, a relative of di Chief of Staff, Rivers State Government House, Edison Ehie, was shot dead. Soldiers arrive at di scene, take over di secretariat, and disperse di protesters before calm was restored.
