Amidst the political turmoil in Rivers State, the local High Court in Port Harcourt has issued an interim injunction to uphold the current situation regarding the intended extension of tenures of elected officials in local government councils by the Martins Amaewhule-led House of Assembly.
An amendment by the Amaewhule-led Assembly to the Local Government Law Number 5 of 2018 allowed for the extension of tenure for elected chairmen and councillors in cases where elections have not been conducted before the end of their three-year term.
Executive Chairmen of Opobo-Nkoro, Enyiada Cookey-Gam, Bonny, Anengi Claude-Wilcox, and five other elected council officials filed a lawsuit against this decision by the Assembly.
Seeking a declaration of a three-year tenure for local government chairpersons and members starting from June 18, 2021, the claimants also requested an injunction against the extension of tenure, urging the defendants to maintain the status quo until the motion is fully heard and determined.
Justice G.N. Okonkwo, presiding over the case, ordered the claimant to provide an undertaking of N5 million if the case turns out to be frivolous. Additionally, all parties involved were instructed to maintain the current state of affairs until the hearing.
The court has scheduled April 22, 2024, for the hearing of the motion on notice for an interlocutory injunction and has also mandated substituted service of the motion on notice to the defendants.