Forum Warns Against Alleged Scheme by Rivers LG Chairmen to Extend Tenure Illegally

The Rivers Good Governance Forum (RGGF) has raised serious concerns about an alleged plot by outgoing Local Government Council chairmen in Rivers State to secure court injunctions allowing them to collect monthly allocations after their tenures expire in June.

In a statement issued by Comrade Chukwudi Ezenwaji, Director of Mobilisation, and Hon. Cyril Enebeli, Media Director, the forum accused the pro-Wike chairmen of secretly approaching the Federal High Court in Abuja after closing hours on Friday. The intent, according to the RGGF, is to gain access to public funds beyond their official terms.

The forum has alerted the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) and the National Judicial Council (NJC) about the urgency of the matter, warning that the Federal High Court in Abuja might endorse this alleged illegality. The RGGF suggests that this could result in the unauthorized allocation of Rivers State Local Government funds to officials whose tenures have already ended.

The statement highlighted that Samuel Nwanosike, the pro-Wike chairman of Ikwerre Local Government, recently boasted that he would not vacate his office at the end of his tenure on June 16. This assertion was reportedly made in a viral video released shortly before the court order, where Nwanosike challenged the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara, on his refusal to step down.

The forum condemned Nwanosike’s claim that his tenure had been extended by a purported decree from state lawmakers led by Martin Amaewhule, stating such an extension lacks legal backing. The RGGF emphasized that the Rivers State High Court had already declared any such extensions unconstitutional.

Justice Daketima Gabriel Kio, presiding over Suit No: PHC/1320/CS/2024, ruled that the Local Government Law No. 2 of 2024, which aimed to extend the chairmen’s tenure by six months, was invalid as it contradicted the 1999 Constitution and Section 9 (1) of the Rivers State Local Government Law No. 5 of 2018. The court maintained that the applicable law is the Rivers State Local Government Law No. 5 of 2018, which sets a three-year term for Local Government Chairmen and Councillors.

The RGGF urged the judiciary to uphold its earlier ruling and prevent any attempts by outgoing chairmen to extend their tenure unlawfully through court orders obtained in Abuja, reiterating that such actions would undermine judicial integrity.