Opposition lawmakers ‘uncover plot’ to use court to extend Rivers LG Chairs’ tenure

Members of the 10th senate and house of representatives belonging to opposition political parties have raised the alarm over alleged move to use the court to legalise what they called illegal extension of local government chairmen’s tenure in Rivers state, including freezing their accounts.

The lawmakers numbering about 60, in a statement issued in Abuja by its spokesperson, Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, stated that they received credible intelligence of the plot to use the court to secure a secret ex parte order that will attempt to legalise the extension of the about-to-expire tenure of LGA Chairmen in Rivers state.

The lawmakers said that this plot was being perpetrated by members of the house of assembly, who have lost legitimacy as lawmakers the very moment they decamped to the All Progressives Congress (APC), after they amended Sections of the Law No. 5 of 2018 extending the tenure of elected local government chairmen in Rivers.

They also said they were raising the alarm in view of the legitimacy of the desperate move, which if not halted, can lead to anarchy and collapse of constitutional governance.

They warned that the opposition lawmakers will not take lightly any move to extend the tenure of the about-to-be expired LGA chairmen under any guise or method.

The federal lawmakers, therefore, called on the eminent judges of the federal high court, Abuja, to beware of the alleged plot, saying that allowing such will throw Rivers into crisis.

They also appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a NADECO member and Democrat to call those pursuing their selfish and greedy ambition by illegally using his name to destabilise constitutional activities in Rivers to order.

The statement reads, “We have received credible intelligence of a plot to use the Federal High court to secure a secret ex parte that will attempt to legalise the illegal extension of the about to expire tenure of LGA Chairmen in Rivers state which was carried out by the former members of the state assembly who have lost legitimacy as lawmakers the very moment they decamped to APC knowing fully well that there was no crisis in PDP, hence their seat as lawmakers became vacant immediately the remaining legitimate members declared the seats vacant.

“We are raising this alarm in view of the legitimacy of the desperate move which if not halted can lead to anarchy and collapse of constitutional governance. We want to call on the Chief Judge of Federal High Court, Justice Omotasho and other eminent judges to be aware of these plots that those behind it are already celebrating that the exparte order is in their pocket awaiting release to the media even when the case have not been heard.

“To our respected Chief Judge, Hon Justice John Terhemba Tsoho. We are compelled to publicly bring this shocking developments to your attention for the interest of justice and preservation of the image of our nations judiciary. Few days ago we received credible intelligence that a suit filled on behalf of Abuja based former house of assembly members in Rivers whose seats have been declared vacant over their decampment to APC even when there was no crisis in PDP but still parading as lawmakers and changing laws in the middle of the night from the corner of the hotel rooms in Abuja and emohate LGA were they are gathered and made to make legislative announcement without the legitimacy or due process to do so.”