The executive chairman of Ikwerre local government area of Rivers State, Samuel Nwanosike, has said he will not vacate office after the expiration of his tenure on June 17.
Nwanosike said his decision was in obedience to the newly amended state local government law, which gave the council’s elected officials six-month extension if the state governor failed to conduct local government elections.
The state governor, Siminalayi Fubara, had vetoed the past amendment, but the Speaker Martins Amaewhule-led House of Assembly passed it into law after 30 days.
The chairman’s threat, however, came against the recent judgment of the state High Court, which declared the new amendment unconstitutional, null and void, and of no effect.
The court’s judgment also declared the six-month tenure elongation provided for in the new amendment as invalid.
The court’s judgment was based on a suit filed by the chairmen of Bonny and Opobo/Nkoro local government areas seeking nullification of the new law.
In the judgment, Justice Diaketima Kio held that the Amaewhule-led House of Assembly overreached itself and that its actions were contrary to the provisions of the amended Nigerian Constitution.
Nwanosike was, however, seen in a viral video making the remarks while addressing his constituents at a function in Ikwerre.
Martin Amaewhule-led House of Assembly as the law of Nigeria.
He said: “If Martin Amaewhule says that because the governor of Rivers State failed in his duty to conduct Local Government elections, and that I, Dr Nwanosike Samuel Osoruchi, by the oath of office I took and the certificate of return I was issued when I contested my second tenure election, that we should remain in office, so shall we remain in office”.
He said anyone interested in occupying his office at the expiration of his tenure should show his face.
Credit: The Nigeria Lawyer