Wilfred Alabo-Jack, PortHarcourt
Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, Rivers State chapter, Allwell Ihunda, on Tuesday, escaped death narrowly as armed youths pursued him along Moscow Road in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
Ihunda, who is also the outgoing Chairman of Port Harcourt City Local Government Area, was on his way to the council secretariat with his aides and security details when the protesting youths accosted them.
The former council boss was said to have alighted from his vehicle and attempted to make his way into his office but was stopped by a group of youths manning the entrance.
The youths immediately began to shout, chasing him and trying to get hold of him as he ran towards his car.
But Ihunda’s security details resisted the youths from grabbing their principal as they fired sporadically shooting into the air to disperse the protesters.
The scared council chairman immediately jumped into a black SUV, escorted by his aides and zoomed off as some of the youths fired several gunshots into the air.
Two other vehicles, including a white van believed to be conveying the outgoing chairman’s aides, were seen speeding after him, as the youths rained abuses at the fleeing LG boss.
As they pursued the outgoing council boss, some of the youths were shouting, “That is him, Allwell. Chase him. Who is he? Look at him, Mayor is running. Chase him. Are you mad? God punish you.
“Don’t run, come, you will see pepper. We are not afraid of you. You are mad. Thunder will fire you.”
Some of Ihunda’s security details however attempted to calm the youths who refused to listen to them, shouting,” Why is he running?”
Recall that the outgoing council chairmen in the state under the aegis of ALGON had vowed not to quit office after the expiration of their tenure on June 17.
The council chairmen, who were elected during Wike’s tenure as governor, had insisted that the local government amendment law by the Martin Amaewhule-led House of Assembly had granted them tenure extension.
The law extends the tenure of the council chairmen by six months following the failure of Governor Siminalayi Fubara to conduct local government elections.
The Amaewhule-led 27 lawmakers loyal Wike have been at loggerheads with Fubara as a result of the disagreement between him and his predecessor.
Last year, Fubara survived an impeachment attempt, worsening the political crisis in the state.
Earlier on Tuesday, Fubara had in a state-wide broadcast, directed the heads of local government administration to take over the running of council affairs from Wednesday, June 19, pending further directives.
