By Ayo Kehinde
Governor Fubara
Embattled Local Governments Chairmen in Rivers who had got their tenure extended by six months had their hopes dashed on Tuesday when the Rivers State High Court declared null and void, the amended Local Government Law proposed by the Martins Amaewhule faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
The ruling followed a suit numbered PHC/1320/CS/2024, filed by Enyiada Cookey-Gam and six others, challenging the extension of tenure for LG chairmen for six months after the expiration of their term.
Justice D.G. Kio declared the amendment invalid, citing its inconsistency with the 1999 Constitution and Section 9(1) of the Rivers State Local Government law No. 5 of 2018.
The court held that the applicable law governing the tenure of local government chairmen and councillors is the Rivers State Local Government Law No. 5 of 2018, which stipulates a three-year tenure.
“The attempt to extend their tenure through the enactment of the Local Government Law No. 2 of 2024 was deemed unlawful and contrary to their oath of office”, the court held.
