The Chairman of Obio-Akpor Local Government Area in Rivers State, Chijioke Ihunwo, has appointed 130 special assistants, marking his second round of appointments in just six months.
Ihunwo announced the appointments on Wednesday through a post on X (formerly Twitter), naming several individuals among the newly appointed, including Helen Nyekwere, Josephine Wogu, Daisy Worgu, Wagwu Hilda, Ogbonna Stella, Goodness Ogbonna, and Grace Amadi.
“I congratulate them, and call on them to serve diligently, in the interest of Obio/Akpor local government. Their appointments take immediate effect,” the statement read.
This latest round of appointments comes after Ihunwo, in July 2024, appointed 100 special assistants during his tenure as the caretaker committee chairman of the local government area.
Ihunwo, a close ally of Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, has often found himself at the centre of political controversies. In October, he drew significant attention after removing the name of former Rivers State Governor and current Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, from the administrative block of the council secretariat.
The political rivalry between Governor Fubara and Wike, who hails from Rumuepirikom in Obio-Akpor LGA, has led to a tense supremacy battle within the state’s political landscape. Ihunwo’s latest appointments are seen as a potential move to consolidate his influence within the local government and align with the governor’s camp.
