Council chairmen elected during former Governor Chibuike Amaechi’s administration are asserting their claim to take over council secretariats across the 23 local government areas of Rivers State. This follows their removal from office shortly after Nyesom Wike became governor in 2015.
At a press conference in Port Harcourt, the chairmen stated that their removal was illegal, noting that they were validly elected. Hon. Imie Benson, the 2015 chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) in the state, recounted that the Court of Appeal had recently overturned a previous judgment that nullified the 2015 local government council elections held by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC).
The Appeal Court’s ruling on February 28, 2025, acknowledged a violation of the appellants’ right to a fair hearing, as the trial court had failed to consider motions for joinder from the appellants. Benson emphasized that the appeal went unchallenged by the respondents, thereby reinforcing the legitimacy of their claim.
He stated, “Based on the recent Supreme Court ruling that nullified the October 5, 2024, local government elections, we are the rightful persons to occupy the vacant positions at the Local Government Councils in Rivers State.”
The situation has escalated, creating a dramatic backdrop as these former chairmen push for their reinstatement amid ongoing legal and political turmoil in the state.
