The political turmoil in Rivers State has taken another dramatic turn as local government chairmen sacked in 2015 have declared their intention to resume office and reclaim leadership of the 23 local government areas.
The embattled officials, along with their deputies and councillors, made their stance clear during a press briefing in Port Harcourt on Tuesday. They cited a recent Appeal Court judgment that overturned their removal by the Nyesom Wike-led administration a decade ago.
With the Supreme Court’s February 28, 2025, ruling voiding the tenure of council chairmen elected in 2024, the 2015 chairmen argue that they are the legitimate authorities to assume control of local government administration in the state.
The controversy dates back to May 23, 2015, when the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), under former Governor Rotimi Amaechi, conducted local government elections. Days later, upon assuming office on May 29, Wike sacked all 23 elected chairmen and councillors, prompting them to seek legal redress.
A Federal High Court ruling on July 9, 2015, nullified their election. However, nearly ten years later, on February 28, 2025, the Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt overturned that decision, ruling that the 2015 elections were valid.
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Benson Imie, the former chairman of Andoni Local Government, stated that the Supreme Court judgment, which recently sacked the 2024 council chairmen, had created vacancies in the local governments.
“In the light of the foregoing, vacancies in various local governments were ensued. Given the above, the rightful persons to occupy the vacant positions at the local government councils are the duly elected chairmen, vice chairmen, and councillors in 2015, having been judicially recognized by the Court of Appeal after a protracted legal battle,” Imie declared.
Reginald Ukwoma, the former chairman of Etche Local Government, emphasized that the reinstated officials do not require a fresh swearing-in ceremony since they had already taken the oath of office before their removal.
“We don’t need to be sworn in again. We have been sworn into office, we cannot take another oath of office,” Ukwoma insisted.
He further stated that they were awaiting the Certified True Copies of the Appeal Court and Supreme Court judgments before deciding when to officially resume their positions.
The legal adviser to the sacked Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) members, Sogbeye Eli, confirmed that procedural steps were already being taken for their return to office.
“Tentatively, in obedience to the judgment of the Court of Appeal, we have taken steps. This is a procedure. We have been away for a while, so we have to go and prepare the foundation,” Eli explained.
He assured that their return would be handled lawfully to avoid plunging the state into chaos.
“We don’t want to throw the state into the Osun situation. We come from a party that is peaceful and follows law and order,” he added.
As the battle over control of local governments in Rivers State intensifies, political observers warn that the situation could further escalate tensions in the already volatile state.
Source: Ripples
