Posted by In response to the House of Assembly’s attempt to prolong the terms of elected officials from local government councils, the Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt has granted an interim injunction to preserve the current status quo.
The move is being spearheaded by Martins Amaewhule.
In the middle of the state’s political crisis, the Assembly, which was led by Amaewhule, revised Local Government Law Number 5 of 2018, as reported by DAILY POST.
If elections aren’t held before the elected chairmen’s and councillors’ three-year terms expire, the House of Assembly can prolong their tenure under the new law.
The decision made by the Assembly was challenged in court by five elected council officials, including the executive chairs of Opobo-Nkoro and Bonny, Enyiada Cookey-Gam and Anengi Claude-Wilcox, respectively.
Beginning on June 18, 2021, the claimants requested a declaration regarding the three-year tenure for members and chairmen of local governments.
On top of that, they wanted the court to stop them from extending the tenure and tell the defendants to keep things the same until the interlocutory injunction hearing and decision.
If the claimant’s case is determined to be frivolous, the court, which is presided over by Justice G.N. Okonkwo, ordered that they sign into an undertaking of N5 million.
Also, until the hearing, Justice Okonkwo ordered all parties to keep things as they are.
The court then scheduled the hearing for the notice of interlocutory injunction to take place on April 22, 2024.
Substituted service of the defendants with the application on notice for an interlocutory injunction was also ordered by the court.