Former Niger Delta agitator Asari Dokubo has urged outgoing local government chairmen in Rivers State to vacate their offices peacefully and without causing unrest.
Dokubo made this call after a Sallah visit to Governor Siminialayi Fubara at the Government House in Port Harcourt on Monday.
He emphasised the importance of a smooth transition and stability in the state, advising youths not to allow themselves to be manipulated by politicians to incite violence.
According to Dokubo: “Only one man can be governor of Rivers State at a time. We will not have two governors. Rivers State is bigger than any individual. No individual can take Rivers State people for a ride and pocket us. It’s not possible.
“Local government tenure has expired today; they should quietly go home. If they want to seek election in accordance with the constitution, they should go and seek re-election. But there is no tenure elongation in the constitution. Their position is tenure-bound. That tenure has expired.
“Let them not cause unnecessary problems for the people of this state. And I want to advise young people: Don’t allow yourselves to be used.
“Most of these politicians’ children are not here. And their children have never come out to stand in front of any protest. They are not like Mandela and his children or me and my children. A lot of people have not done this, so nobody should be allowed to exploit the situation.
“Most of them were with us; today they’re bigger than us. They have become very wealthy; they have become very powerful. But is that why you should be used by them?”
Responding to youths occupying the council secretariat of some LGAs, Dokubo said: “The people are showing people’s power. The people have gone on their own to take over the local government secretariat because it’s the people.
“Nobody can say that we voted for a three-year tenure for a chairman and the chairman should exceed one second of that tenure. So the people of Rivers State are exercising their people’s power, and they’re ready to take over until the government is ready to conduct elections.”
