Former militant and leader of the Niger Delta Volunteer Force, Muhajid Asari Dokubo, has waded into the brewing crisis between the state government and local government chairmen.
Dokubo admonished former chairmen to peacefully relinquish their positions.
Speaking during the 2024 Eid-el-Kabir celebrations in Port Harcourt on Monday, Dokubo condemned attempts by the former chairmen to extend their tenure beyond its constitutional limits, describing such actions as a violation of Nigeria’s Constitution.
The tenure of the 23 Local Government Area chairmen officially ended on June 17, 2024. While the state government has ordered them to relinquish office, the chairmen has vowed to stay put.
“They should quietly go home. If they want to seek re-election by the Constitution, they should go and seek re-election,” Dokubo asserted.
“Let them not cause unnecessary problems for the people of the State. And I want to advise young people, that: look, don’t allow yourselves to be used.”
Dokubo stressed the importance of upholding democratic principles and protecting the state from self-serving individuals.
He said, “Rivers State is bigger than any individual. No individual can take Rivers State people for a ride and pocket us.”
In response to the situation on the ground where protests and occupation of local government secretariats have occurred, Dokubo underscored the people’s power to demand adherence to constitutional mandates.
He affirmed, “The people of Rivers State are exercising their people’s power, and they are ready to take over until the government is ready to conduct a new election.”