Skirmishes which claimed the lives of two persons marked the end of tenure of the 23 local government chairmen in River State.
The governor Simi Fubura Tuesday announced that the chairmen should handover to head administrators of the LGs.
The chairmen most of them loyalists of former governor Nyesom Wike have been reluctant to leave after the expiration of the their three-year tenure.
There were gun shots at the secretariat of the Port Harcourt City LGA and also Obio/Akpor, Emohua, Eleme and Khana LGAs by unidentified persons.
In one of those exchange of gunfire a group of policemen guarding a politician shot at the vigilante members who returned fire and according to sources one policeman and a vigilante member died.
Governor Fubara maintained that he would continue to provide good leadership in accordance with the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“I hereby direct heads of local government administration to continue to provide leadership in their respective LGAs,” Fubara said in state broadcast.
He directed the heads of LGAs to immediately take charge of the councils with renewed vigour and readiness to serve.
Mr Fubara urged them to wait for further directives as the state navigated toward greater accomplishments.
He assured Rivers people that his administration would continue to provide infrastructure development, sound health care delivery, quality education and undiluted welfare service packages to the people.
