THE Abuja division of the Court of Appeal today dismissed appeals filed by Cookey-Gam & Ors on the elongation of their tenure as local government chairmen in Rivers State.
The tenure of the local government chairmen became a subject of controversy as the Martin Amaewhule-led Rivers State House of Assembly extended their tenure by six months shortly before the expiration of their tenure. A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt was to later strike out the amendment seeking extension as being contrary to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).
The panel of the Appeal Court today upheld the decision of the High Court, refused the extension of the tenures of the chairmen whose positions expired in June and dismissed the case for being unmeritorious.
Martin Amaewhule-led Rivers State House of Assembly on Wednesday,13 March 2024 further amended the Rivers State Local Government Law No. 5 of 2018 and other matters connected thereto.
Before passing the Bill, the House debated on the pros and cons of the Bill; and thereafter, in line with the rules of the House, resolved into Committee of the Whole and gave the Bill clause by clause consideration.
Contributing to the Bill, members commended the sponsor of the Bill, describing it as an essential amendment that will engender smooth and uninterrupted democratic administration at the local government level.
Commenting on the Bill, the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Martin Chike Amaewhule posited that the intendment of the Bill was to amend sections 9(2), (3) and (4)of the Principal Law to empower the House of Assembly, via resolution, to extend the tenure of elected chairmen and councillors, where it is considered impracticable to hold local government elections before the expiration of their three years in office; adding that the amendment was to ensure that local government elections are conducted before the expiration of the outgoing local government administration.
Adumbrating further, Amaewhule stated that upon the expiration of the tenure of the outgoing local government administration, the governor shall swear in the newly elected chairmen and vice chairmen of the councils, but where the governor is unable or fails to perform the duty, the House shall by resolution mandate judicial officers or magistrates to perform the task; stressing that the progressive intendment of the Bill cannot be overemphasized.
In a similar development, the House gave the First Reading to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (amendment) Bill, sponsored by Hon. Linda Somiari-Stewart, a member representing Okrika Constituency; which is a Bill for a Law to amend the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission Law No 2 of 2018.
Presenting the Bill, Hon. Linda Stewart submitted that the Bill seeks to amend Section 20 of the Principal Law, and when passed may be cited as the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (Amendment) Law, 2024.
Eighteen-Eleven Media