Barely two weeks after the present caretaker committee chairmen were appointed to run the affairs of the 23 local government councils in Rivers state, there appears to be some cracks in the support base of Governor Siminalayi Fubara over the choice of some of these chairmen.

A group, Ogoni Liberation Alliance, OLA, on Thursday raised an alarm that the state Governor is currently facing a daunting challenge that may sign a major crack in his support base and hand over a serious advantage to the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike supporters in the state to run the affairs of things.

Then group alleged that, majority of those who emerged from the caretaker committee Chairmanship list are rather “political jobbers who were not the original wishes of the people”, saying that the nomination of the Khana LGA CTC was not the choice of the people from the council area.

President of the group, Barieeba Marcus Nwile in a statement in Port Harcourt on Thursday alleged that some of the nominees were enlisted and submitted to the governor by his chief of staff, Rt. Hon Edison Ehie without any recourse to the wish of the people.

“A certain Marvin Yobana was appointed unilaterally by the Chief of Staff to the governor, Rt Hon Edison Ehie without the impute of the people, and this is the same case almost throughout the 23 LGAs of the state and this does not go down well with some of us who had worked hard and risked our lives for this government.

“As it stands in Khana LGA, many people are very angry, especially with the fillers that Marvin Yobana has been tipped again by the same chief of staff to the governor to run another 3 years term as the executive chairman of the LGA after the October 5 council elections.

Nwile alleged that Yabana comes from the same district in Khana from where Hon Thomas Bariere the immediate past council chairman came from. “This unfortunate development can birth an implosion within the Fubara’s rank in his own senatorial district.

“This is one litmus test for Governor Fubara that will define his political sagacity and will go along way to convince or otherwise people, if he has actually learned the robes from his predecessor or not.

“There has equally been bickering about the governor not adequately compensating those who are really in the dug out for him, as many opportunities he has given have been going to those who have not been in the battle trenches, but to those who are only close to those at the government house”.

The OLA President called on the Governor to jettison all forms of self-interest by his officials who are bent on compensating cronies with appointments, and respect the laid down zoning arrangement that has been in Khana over the years.

Nwile believes that the days ahead promise to be interesting, while “we eagerly await what will become of the political happenings in Rivers state”. (Vanguard)

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