The former council chairpersons in Rivers who were sacked in 2015 under Governor Nyesom Wike’s administration have vowed to take over 23 LGAs.
On Tuesday, the former chairman of Andoni LGA, Benson Imie, disclosed this on behalf of the ex-council chairs in a briefing to journalists in Port Harcourt.
He said they were elected in an election conducted by Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission on May 23, 2015, towards the end of ex-Governor Rotimi Amaechi’s administration.
He said Mr Wike sacked them on assumption of office, adding that a Federal High Court judgment on July 9, 2015, nullified the matter while voiding the 2015 LG elections.
Mr Imie further said that after 10 years, an appellate court in Port Harcourt, on February 28, 2025, upturned the decision of the Federal High Court, ruling that the 2015 election was without encumbrances.
He explained that the Appeal Court, in Suit No, CA/PH/172?2024 ( Hon. Augustine P. NGO & 22 Ors v. Peoples Democratic Party & Ors), nullified and set aside the Federal High Court judgment.
According to him, the judgment was set aside on the grounds of the violent breach and flagrant abuse of the appellants’ right to a fair hearing.
Reginald Ukwuoma, former chairman of Etche LGA, said they did not need to be sworn into office or take an oath of office as they already did that in 2015.
’’At this moment, we will wait to receive the certified true copies of the Appeal Court and the Supreme Court judgments. Then, we will know when to resume office,’’ he said.
(NAN)
