RIVERS (Sundiata Post) – The Court of Appeal on Monday dashed the hopes of Rivers local government chairmen loyal to former governor Nyesom Wike, dismissing two appeals filed by the ex-chairmen.
The appeals marked CA/PH/137M/2024 and CA/PH/145M/2024 filed by Hon. Enyiada Cookey-Gam and six others were dismissed for lack of merit.
The ex-chairmen had challenged the high court’s decisions regarding the elongation of their tenure.
Recalls that a Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt on Tuesday, May 21, nullified tenure extension for the chairmen of the 23 local government areas in the state.
In his ruling, Justice D.G. Kio declared the Local Government Law No.2 of 2024 which extended the tenure of local government chairmen by six months after the expiration of their tenure as invalid.
According to the judge, the law is inconsistent with the 1999 constitution and Section 9 (1) of Rivers State Law No 5 of 2018 which fixed three years for local government chairmen and councillors.
On June 19, Governor Siminalayi Fubara appointed caretaker committee chairmen for the 23 local government areas.
