Despite a police directive to suspend a planned protest, about 100 supporters of Minister of the Federal Capital Territory(FCT) Nyesom Wike, took to the streets of Port Harcourt on Monday to demonstrate their support for the police presence at the 23 local government council secretariats in Rivers State.
The protesters, gathered near the post office on Azikiwe Road, marched to the Port Harcourt City Local Government Secretariat on Bank Road, where they were met by a police barricade.
Undeterred, they expressed their support for the police presence, citing concerns about potential violence if the police were to leave the council secretariats.
The protesters claimed that their intention was to register their support for the police and maintain peace in the state.
This development comes amid an ongoing crisis over the local government tenure elongation in Rivers State, which has sparked tensions and protests in recent days.
The police had earlier called on organised labour and other groups to suspend their planned protests, but the pro-Wike supporters chose to defy the order.
One of the conveners who identified himself as Kingsley Ohunda said, “We are Rivers people and as you can see this is a harmless and an armless protest.
“The police have asked everybody to stay clear of the council premises, what we are doing and we are ensuring that, because we got information that there are people who are trying to protest and ask the police to leave the gate which we are saying no to.
“The matter before the Court is going to be decided soon. When that matter is decided, whoever is supposed to be in the council, goes to the council.
“So what we are saying is that the police should remain and maintain peace and order. As you can see, we are peaceful and law abiding. What we are doing is to ensure that democracy has its focus.”
Ohunda, urged the police to keep their words and ensure no one has access into the council premises, saying, “If not we are also going to gain entrance there and you know that won’t be nice for all of us.”
Another protester, China Chinda, decried the loss of lives, including a policeman in the wake of the crisis, saying we don’t need that anymore in Rivers.
He added, “They promised to protect lives and property, so we are here to solicit with that and then to remind them to abide and keep to those promises.
On her part, a lady identified as Mrs Rose Wori, reiterated the call for the police to remain at the council premises pending the Court’s ruling on the matter.
“We are here to make peace and order, we want peace in our state, we want peace in our LGAs. We the women of Rivers State have come to tell the police to stay until court decides what happens next”.