Following the expiration of the tenures of Rivers State's local government chairmen, youths from the Degema Local Government Area took over the council headquarters on Monday.

This comes as LG chairmen in the state, who are members of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, vowed to remain in office, citing the Local Government Amendment Law passed by the Martin Amaewhule-led 27 House of Assembly members, which allows them to extend their term by six months.

Allwell Ihunda, the state ALGON Chairman and Chairman of the Port Harcourt City Local Government Area, claimed that the law passed by the House of Assembly allows them to continue in office.

Security personnel have been deployed to maintain order at the council secretariat.

Recall that the LGA chairmen, who were loyal to former Governor Nyesom Wike, pledged not to leave office in June.
According to Chief Hon. Dr. Irastus Awoto, Legal Adviser to the 21 LGA Chairmen and Chairman of Andoni LGA, the Chairmen will continue in office for another six months.

Fubara, while speaking at an event in Port Harcourt, the state capital, cautioned the LG chairmen not to do anything that would disrupt the peace of the state.

Meanwhile, at a news briefing last week, Amaewhule warned the governor against creating caretaker committees to replace vacant seats in the state's 23 LGs, claiming that lawmakers would not approve such a move.

Following the disagreement between the two political leaders, the council chairmen elected during Wike's tenure as governor have been at loggerheads with Fubara.