The Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) in Rivers State, Allwell Ihunda, narrowly escaped a violent confrontation with protesting youths on Tuesday. The incident occurred along Moscow Road in Port Harcourt, the state capital, as Ihunda, the outgoing Chairman of Port Harcourt City Local Government Area, attempted to enter the council secretariat.
Eyewitnesses reported that Ihunda had just exited his vehicle when he encountered a group of angry youths blocking the entrance. The youths immediately began shouting and chasing him, prompting Ihunda to rush back towards his car. His security details intervened, firing shots into the air to disperse the crowd and ensure Ihunda's safety.
Ihunda quickly jumped into a black SUV and was escorted away by his aides, while the youths continued to shout and fire shots into the air. Two other vehicles, including a white van believed to belong to Ihunda's aides, followed closely behind.
The protesters hurled abuses at Ihunda, with some heard shouting, "That is him, Allwell. Chase him. Who is he? Look at him, Mayor is running. Chase him. Are you mad? God punish you." Despite attempts by some of Ihunda's security personnel to calm the situation, the youths remained aggressive, questioning why Ihunda was fleeing.
The confrontation comes amid ongoing political tension in Rivers State. The state ALGON, whose tenure expired on June 17, had refused to vacate office, citing an amendment to the local government law by the Martin Amaewhule-led House of Assembly. The amendment extended the tenure of the council chairmen by six months due to the failure of Governor Siminalayi Fubara to conduct local government elections.
This extension has been a point of contention, exacerbating political friction between Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike. The conflict escalated last year when Fubara survived an impeachment attempt, deepening the crisis.
In response to the turmoil, Governor Fubara, in a state-wide broadcast on Tuesday, directed local government administration heads to take charge of council affairs starting Wednesday, June 19, pending further directives.
