BREAKING: Court halts extension of Rivers LG chairmen’s tenure

The Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has declared the six-month tenure elongation of the state’s local government executive chairmen by the Martins Amaewhule-led House of Assembly as null and void, unconstitutional and of no effect.

The court ruled that the law was inconsistent with the 1999 constitution and section 9 (1) of Rivers State Law No. 5 of 2018 which fixed three-year tenure for local government chairmen and councilors.

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The court gave the judgement in a case filed by Enyiada Cookey-Gam & 6 Ors vs. The Governor of Rivers State & Ors.

The presiding judge, Justice, D.G. Kio, in his judgement, declared that Local Government Law No. 2 of 2024, which extended the chairmen’s terms by six months was in conflict with the 1999 Constitution and Section 9(1) of Rivers State Local Government Law No. 5 of 2018.

The court affirmed that the lawful tenure for the chairmen and councilors remained three years, as stipulated by the 2018 law.

The judge stressed that any attempt to extend the tenure was unlawful and violated the officials’ oath of office.

BREAKING: Court halts extension of Rivers LG chairmen’s tenure

Kano Assembly set to review law used in dethroning Sanusi

The Kano State House of Assembly has commenced the process of amending the Kano State Emirs (Appointment and Deposition) Law amidst call for the return of the deposed 14th Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi.

The House resolved to amend the law after the Majority Leader and member representing Dala constituency, Hussien Dala, moved the motion during plenary on Tuesday.

Daily Trust reports that the law was first amended in 2019 during the rift between then-Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and the deposed Emir.

The first amendment had broken the Kano emirate into five different emirates with the creation of Rano, Karaye, Gaya and Bichi Emirates, and the appointment of First Class Emirs for the new emirates, eventually culminating in the deposition of then Emir of Kano.

But following the electoral victory of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, who had campaigned with the restoration of the old Kano Emirate system, several groups renew the call for the reinstatement of Emir Sanusi.

One month before Governor Yusuf assumed office, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, leader of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), the ruling party in Kano, had said issue of the emirates would be reviewed.

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“We campaigned and we are well-known in Nigeria, especially in Kano. What we showed the people is by God’s grace all the good projects we started when we were in government. This governor (Abba Kabir Yusuf) and his team will pick up from where we left off,” Kwankwaso had said.

“We as elders in the movement will continue to advice them to do things that are proper. We tried not to talk about whether the Emir would be removed or not, but now you see, the opportunity is there.

“Those who God made leaders will now decide on the next step and decision to take. They will review it and determine what is the right thing to be done.

“Apart from the issue of changing the emir, the emirates have now been divided into five. All of that will be reviewed too. When a leader comes into power whether in a country, state or local government area, he inherits things that are good and things that are difficult and challenging.

“We are confident God will give the governor (Abba Kabir Yusuf) the wisdom to come and resolve the challenges planted in Kano state so that everyone will leave peacefully in Kano state.”

Kano Assembly set to review law used in dethroning Sanusi

Retired police officers protest at NASS over unpaid pensions

Some aggrieved retired police officers on Tuesday stormed the national assembly to express their grievances over unpaid pensions.

The retirees said many of their contemporaries and colleagues have passed away due to the prevailing harsh and crippling economic realities in the country.

In a letter dated May 21 and addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, they demanded that they be removed from the contributory pension scheme.

The retirees commended the national assembly for the steps it had taken so far to make sure the Police Exit Bill from CPS and Police Pension Board Bill were passed into law.

They further underscored the need to harmonise these bills and transmit it to president Bola Tinubu for assent.