A High Court of Rivers State sitting in Port Harcourt, the state capital, has on Tuesday, held that the tenure extension of the 23 local government chairmen of the state is null and void.
Justice, D.G. Kio, in his judgment, found the Local Government Law No. 2 of 2024, which prolonged local government chairmen’s tenures by six months after they expired, illegal.
He held that 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 councilors.
The court said the recent extension of local government chairmen’s tenure was invalid in suit number PHC/1320/CS/2024, a case instituted by Enyiada Cookey-Gam & 6 Ors vs. The Governor of Rivers State & Ors.
Justice Kio also declared that the Local Government Law No. 2 of 2024, which sought to extend the LG chairmen’s tenure by six months, conflicts with the 1999 Constitution and Section 9(1) of Rivers State Local Government Law No. 5 of 2018.
The court affirmed that the lawful tenure for LG chairmen and councillors remained three years as stipulated by the 2018 law, saying any attempt to extend the tenure is unlawful, and violates the officials’ oath of office.