BREAKING: Court nullifies amendment of Law extending LG Chairmen’s tenure in Rivers | Read Details
The Rivers State High Court has invalidated the amended Local Government Law proposed by the Martins Amaewhule faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
Enyiada Cookey-Gam and six others had challenged the extension of tenure for LG chairmen for six months after the expiration of their term in a suit numbered PHC/1320/CS/2024.
While giving ruling on the matter, the presiding judge, 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 emphasized 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.
