A Port Harcourt-based hunan rights lawyer, Henry Ekini, has urged the Federal Government to intervene in the ongoing local government leadership crisis in Rivers.
Ekini, the National Legal Adviser, Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourt on Wednesday.
He said that it had become ‘very expedient’ for President Bola Tinubu and the National Assembly to intervene in order to avoid total breakdown of law and order in the state.
NAN reports that local government council chairmen, aligned with former governor, Nyesom Wike, have vowed to remain in office after the expiration of their tenure on June 17.
The chairmen are citing a legislation passed by the 27 pro-Wike lawmakers which extended their term of office by six months.
Ekini said that the development was already having negative impacts on free movement and economic activities in the state.
He expressed worries that local government chairmen would refuse to vacate office after the expiration of their tenure.
Ekini said that it was illegal to extend the tenure of elected council officers, saying, “their insistence to remain as chairmen is ridiculous”
“It shows disregard for the rule of law, It is embarrassing, it is a threat to democracy.
“It is important for the Federal Government to intervene and ensure that the constitution is followed religiously, this will help to resolve the matter,” he said.
Speaking recently in the matter, the state ALGON Chairman, Allwell Ihunda, said that the amended Local Government Service Law in the state, empowered the chairmen to remain in office for another six months.
Ihunda, also the Chairman, Port Harcourt City Local Government Council, said that the chairmen would resist any attempt to remove them from office.
NAN reports that Gov. Siminalaye Fubara has already declared that the tenure of the council chairmen has elapsed, and directed Heads of Local Government Administration to take charge of the councils.
The governor has also released a list of caretaker committee chairmen and members for the 23 local government councils in the state for screening and appointment.(NAN)
By Desmond Ejibas
