Council chairmen elected during the administration of Chibuike Amaechi, former governor of Rivers state, say they are the most suitable to take over the council secretariats across the 23 LGAs.

 

The local government chairmen were removed from office soon after Nyesom Wike, the current minister of federal capital territory (FCT), took over as governor of Rivers in 2015.

 

On Friday, the supreme court nullified the local government election held in Rivers state on October 5, 2024.

 

The apex court overturned a previous judgment delivered by the court of appeal in Abuja on November 21, 2024, which upheld the election results.

 

Subsequently, Siminalayi Fubara, governor of Rivers, asked elected local government chairpersons in the state to hand over to LGA administrators, pending when fresh council elections would be conducted.

 

However, speaking on behalf of the 2015 chairmen at a press briefing in Port Harcourt, Rivers state capital, on Tuesday, Imie Benson, the former chairman of Andoni LGA, said they were illegally removed by Wike.

 

Benson said the court of appeal, Port Harcourt division, had set aside the July 9, 2015, judgment of the federal high court, Port Harcourt, which nullified the LGA council election conducted by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) on May 23, 2015.

 

 

According to Daily Trust, the former LG chairman said the judgment was set aside on grounds of violent breach and abuse of the appellants’ right to a fair hearing.

 

“In the ruling, the court of appeal noted that the 1st Respondent (PDP) and other Respondents were duly served but did not file any reply brief in opposition to the Appellants brief in the appeal, leaving the appeal of the Appellants unchallenged,” he said.

 

“It must be recalled that, at the time of the judgment referred to above, there was no vacancy at the Local Government Council, and that constrained the Appeal Court from making consequential orders in relation thereto.

 

“On the other hand, on the same date of Friday, 28 February, the supreme court in one of the matters decided upon on the said date sacked all the council chairmen elected on 5 October 2024 for contravening the extant provisions of RSIEC Laws, among others.

 

“Based on the above, the rightful persons to occupy the vacant positions at the local government councils in Rivers state are the duly 2015-elected council chairmen, vice-chairmen, and councillors, having been lawfully recognised by the court of appeal after a protracted legal battle.”