By Ogu Ihuaku
A Civil Society Organisations under the agies of Coalition of Rivers State Leaders of Thoughts, has called on the National Assembly to holistically amend the laws governing Local Government administration.
Chief Sunnie Chukumele, the Convener of the group, disclosed this on Thursday in a briefing to journalists in Port Harcourt.
Chukumele said that the call for the amendment of the LG laws came at the hills of the political crisis rising from the 2023 amendment of the tenure elongation of the Rivers state local government laws by the Martin’s Amaewhule led Assembly.
The group expressed worry that the law if not checked and amended the crisis may throw the states into anarchy as is been witnessed since June, 17 the tenure end of the past LGA Chairmen in Rivers.
The group also appealed to President Bola Tinubu to wade into the state political conflict, capable of snowballing into ethnic conflicts.
The group also called on the Inspector of Police, Kayode Egbetokun and the National Security Adviser, Mallam Ribadu to investigate the crisis rocking Rivers politics and bring the farmentors to book.
They also called on the Judiciary to save the state and the country the embarrassment of social disorder arising from what the public will see as misjudgment or miscarriage of justice.
“We also use this medium to call on the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC)to without delay conduct elections to fill the vacant position in the Rivers State House of Assembly created by the death of the member representing Khana constituency, and that of the resignation of former speaker and member representing Ahoada constituency.
“We further lend our voice to call on INEC to conduct local elections in the country as it is with the Federal Capital Territory,”the group said.
The group commended the Gov.Siminalayi Fubara for steps taken in filling the positions and vacuum created by the relapsing of the official tenure of the immediate past local government Chairmen in the state.
The name of the group officials presence at the briefing as Mr George Ijoma, Mr Amos Ordu, Crd.Michael Akuinute(rtd), Mr J.Ikezim, Odinaka Osundu and Mrs Pauline Banee