Court Halts Rivers Assembly’s Move To Extend Local Government Officials’ Tenures.

The Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has issued an interim injunction directing the maintenance of status quo following the move by the House of Assembly to extend the tenures of the elected local government councils’ officials.

The Assembly led by Martins Amaewhule had amidst the political crisis rocking Rivers amended the Local Government Law Number 5 of 2018 and other related matters.

Amaewhule, explained that the amendments of Section 9(2), (3) and (4)of the Principal Law was to empower the House of Assembly via a resolution to extend the tenure of elected chairmen and councilors, where it is considered impracticable to hold local government elections before the expiration of their three years in office.

But the court asked all the parties to maintain the status quo ante belum pending the hearing and determination of motion on notice for the interlocutory injunction.

The court presided over by G.N. Okonkwo also ordered that the claimant/applicant would enter into an undertaking to indemnify the defendants in the sum of N5million should the substantive case turned out to be frivolous.

The court fixed April 22, 2024 to hear the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction.

Okonkwo also issued an order of substituted service of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction, originating summons and other subsequent processes on the defendants.

The orders were made following a suit filed by Executive Chairman, Opobo-Nkoro, Enyiada Cooky-Gam; Bonny, Anengi Claude-Wilcox; and five other elected council officials challenging the decision of the Amaewhule-led House of Assembly to extend the tenure of local government areas.

Also named as defendants in the suit are the Governor of Rivers State, the Government of Rivers State and the Attorney-General of Rivers State.

The claimants/applicants are praying the court for a declaration that under section 9(1) of the Rivers State Local Government Amendment Law number 5 of 2018 the tenure of office of the chairmen and members of the 23 local government councils of Rivers State is three years

A declaration that the tenure of office of the elected chairmen and members of the local government areas would expire on the 17th of June 2024 having commenced on the 18th of June 2021 when they were sworn in.

A declaration that the defendants cannot in any manner or form extend the tenure of office of the chairmen and members of the local government areas after the expiration of their tenure.

An order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from extending the tenure of office of the chairmen and members of the local government areas.

.An order of perpetual injunction restraining the 28th, 29th and 30th defendants (the Governor, the Government House and the Attorney-General) from giving effects to any purported extension of the tenure of the chairmen ans members of the local government areas.

They also prayed for an order of interlocutory injunction directing all the defendants to maintain the status quo by not elongating the three-year tenure of the chairmen and councilors.

The claimants further sought an order of interlocutory injunction restraining the defendants from extending the tenures of the chairmen and the councilors.

Lmao woke knows he can't win the LGA election battle now he is trying to extend their tenure


Lmao

Why would anyone think of extending tenure of LGA chairmen. Wike must be Mad

SIM should meet Obaseki ASAP.

Extend LGA tenure? Haba, this is madness taken too far.

Lock up all the rogue assembly members.

SIM show us you have big balls. Which craze person will try this under Wike ? Ee eeee eee

Wike is finish finisher finishest. Kai, u na go school

That ba***stard called w*ike must be punished

VERY GOOD.

Wike keeps exposing his foolishness. Just look at the selfish and chaotic laws he is pushing for LGA chairmen.

You go to hospital you don't care where the doctor comes from, you don't care about his religion... All you seek is good service

You put your money in banks you don't care where the owner is from, what his religion is

But time to elect President you say you can't vote a Christian, or an Igbo man continue

When you guys are ready enter the streets and protest and I pray what happened to endsars protesters happens to you all

vowiski:
SIM should meet Obaseki ASAP.

Extend LGA tenure? Haba, this is madness taken too far.

Lock up all the rogue assembly members.

SIM show us you have big balls. Which craze person will try this under Wike ? Ee eeee eee

Obaseki about to be destroyed

Na them sabi

I thought Wike's goons claimed it is SIM who is afraid of conducting LG election

garfield1:


Obaseki about to be destroyed

uncouth as usual

The House of Assembly can can not extend the tenure of the elected LGA chairmen... I pity the LGA chairmen running after Wike, they will lose out by June ending...

mrvitalis:
Lmao woke knows he can't win the LGA election battle now he is trying to extend their tenure


Lmao

Quite obvious that you are having a comprehension problem? the law is been established to stop the Governor from appointing caretaker local government officials, if for any reason, the state fails to conduct local government elections.

seanfer:
The House of Assembly can can not extend the tenure of the elected LGA chairmen... I pity the LGA chairmen running after Wike, they will lose out by June ending...

No one is extending anything, they have passed a law that if for any reason the state fails to conduct local government elections the elected officials should remain until same is conducted, this is to compel the mandatory guarantee of elected local government officials as enshrined in the constitution of 1999 as amended, & stop the State Governor from appointing stooges into those positions.

Nigeria’s problem is that most don’t use their heads for analytics, they prefer to assume out of ignorance, that is why they say the white man has hidden knowledge in volumes of books, because he knows the black man will not read.

favor914:
No one is extending anything, they have passed a law that if for any reason the state fails to conduct local government elections the elected officials should remain until same is conducted, this is to compel the mandatory guarantee of elected local government officials as enshrined in the constitution of 1999 as amended, & stop the State Governor from appointing stooges into those positions.

Nigeria’s problem is that most don’t use their heads for analytics, they prefer to assume out of ignorance, that is why they say the white man has hidden knowledge in volumes of books, because he knows the black man will not read.

Are you saying the law passed by the Rivers state house of assembly supersedes the Nigerian constitution?
Them staying in office when their tenure has expired is not tenure extension to you abi?
This current LGA chairmen can not benefit from the bill pass by the house. Those current Rivers state LGA chairmen will lose at the end of the day.

Wike is finally finished

Wike and his band of 40 thugs want to pocket Rivers state, but they will fail.

Nonsense it will never work, by june ending they will leave and Sim will have full control of the local council.

COMRADES, this man is a fool
Is a boy boy aka puppet

This has been overtaken by events. You can't halt what has already been done. Shameless despardos.

favor914:
No one is extending anything, they have passed a law that if for any reason the state fails to conduct local government elections the elected officials should remain until same is conducted, this is to compel the mandatory guarantee of elected local government officials as enshrined in the constitution of 1999 as amended, & stop the State Governor from appointing stooges into those positions.

Nigeria’s problem is that most don’t use their heads for analytics, they prefer to assume out of ignorance, that is why they say the white man has hidden knowledge in volumes of books, because he knows the black man will not read.

And who told you SIM is planning to setup caretaker Chairmen? You are the ones who fail to use your heads to analyse issues.

Exercise in futility. You can't grant an injunction for something that has already been done. The law is already in existence. Fubara asked, "why the struggle?" And Akpabio answered him. Fubara is a hypocrite. The empty drum doesn't want to fund RISIEC to conduct local government elections. He is busy fighting for structures and wasting Rivers State money on jamboree. The local government chairmen are not going anywhere until an election is conducted.

Kukutenla:
I thought Wike's goons claimed it is SIM who is afraid of conducting LG election

Which is true and why the Assembly passed that law. The governor wants to appoint unconstitutional caretaker chairmen.

BondRiv:
Exercise in futility. You can't grant an injunction for something that has already been done. The law is already in existence. Fubara asked, "why the struggle?" And Akpabio answered him. Fubara is a hypocrite. The empty drum doesn't want to fund RISIEC to conduct local government elections. He is busy fighting for structures and wasting Rivers State money on jamboree. The local government chairmen are not going anywhere until an election is conducted.

Its still a bill...SIM has not appended his signature to it

GEJDHERO:
Its still a bill...SIM has not appended his signature to it

Even secondary school students know that when a governor or president withholds his assent to a bill, it can be overrided by the lawmakers and passed into law. The problem is that most of you lack knowledge of the things you argue about and just support blindly.

https://www.channelstv.com/2024/01/26/rivers-assembly-overrides-fubara-to-pass-four-new-bills-into-law/

SenatorCharles1:



And who told you SIM is planning to setup caretaker Chairmen? You are the ones who fail to use your heads to analyse issues.

They passed a law that if local government elections are not held, the Governor cannot appoint a caretaker committee, who said the law is about Mumu Fubara in particular?

Abi after him, wouldn’t there be other governors of Rivers state?

A law is been promulgated to guarantee the sanctity of elected local government officials as mandated by the constitution, & you are here wailing in ignorance?

BondRiv:


Even secondary school students know that when a governor or president withholds his assent to a bill, it can be overrided by the lawmakers and passed into law. The problem is that most of you lack knowledge of the things you argue about and just support blindly.

https://www.channelstv.com/2024/01/26/rivers-assembly-overrides-fubara-to-pass-four-new-bills-into-law/

You dey mind that gejdhero thing?

The funny part of this is that Rivers people don't even like these law makers. They are on their own.

Googledotcom:
The funny part of this is that Rivers people don't even like these law makers. They are on their own.

Na ignorance, that is why animals must be treated with force by their shepherd.

favor914:
They passed a law that if local government elections are not held, the Governor cannot appoint a caretaker committee, who said the law is about Mumu Fubara in particular?

Abi after him, wouldn’t there be other governors of Rivers state?

A law is been promulgated to guarantee the sanctity of elected local government officials as mandated by the constitution, & you are here wailing in ignorance?

Is Rivers the only state that runs the local government system? If your postulation is even imagined then, the NASS can as well extend the tenure of the president and the HOA of any state can extend the tenure of a governor.

Two weeks to the expiration of his tenure in office, CRA conducted LGA elections and when Wike was sworned in, he went to court and the court declared CRA election as a nullity and that gave room for Wike to appoint caretaker Chairmen.

RSHOA under Rt Hon. Martins is playing into the hands of SIM cos with this move the litigation will run into the tenure ending of the current Chairmen and if the court rules in favour of the claimants, SIM would be left with no other option but to appoint caretaker Chairmen cos with the litigation ongoing, there won't be any LGA elections moving forward.