The Court of Appeal, sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Monday, struck out a suit filed by the sacked Local Government Chairmen loyal to the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
The sacked council chairman had earlier approached the appellate court to overturn the decision of the High Court regarding the elongation of their tenure.
The appeals, CA/PH/137M/2024 and CA/PH/145M/2024, were filed by the former Chairman of Opobo/Nkoro LGA, Enyiada Cookey-Gam, and six others, challenging the High Court’s orders to extend their term. During its ruling, the court determined that the appeals lacked merit and hence dismissed them.
The ruling came weeks after Governor Siminalayi Fubara swore in the Caretaker Committee Chairmen for the 23 LGAs at the Government House in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
The governor, on June 19, inaugurated the new caretaker chairmen hours after the House of Assembly, led by factional Speaker, Victor Jumbo, screened and confirmed the nominees.
Governor Fubara had forwarded the list to the state House of Assembly on Tuesday and the nominees were invited for screening as early as 8 am on Wednesday, according to a statement issued by the Clerk of the House, G.M. Gillis-West.
The nomination came amid a renewed political crisis in the state, as former council chairmen have refused to vacate their offices after their tenure expired.
SaharaReporters had also reported how the state’s political crisis had deepened as two rival factions of the House of Assembly, led by Martin Amaewhule and Victor Oko-Jumbo, on Monday, convened separate sessions.
The Amaewhule-led faction, which aligns with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has issued an ultimatum to Governor Siminalayi Fubara, demanding the re-presentation of the 2024 budget within seven days.