Eze Demands Immediate Withdrawal Of Officers From 23 LGAs In Rivers State

Eze Demands Immediate Withdrawal Of Officers From 23 LGAs In Rivers State

Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, the former National Publicity Secretary of the defunct New Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP) and a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has urged the Inspector General of Police to immediately withdraw officers stationed at the entrances of the 23 local government council secretariats in Rivers state……… CONTINUE READING

Eze’s appeal comes after the dismissal of two appeals filed by former LGA Council Chairmen, whose three-year tenure ended on June 17, 2024. These chairmen were contesting a lower court’s decision that nullified the extension of their tenure by former state lawmakers led by Martins Amaewhule. The court found the appeals to be without merit and dismissed them.

Eze stated that the court’s decision concludes the controversy surrounding the tenure extension. He claimed the appellate court’s verdict supports the view that Amaewhule is being used by Wike to create instability in the state.

He emphasized that the police should leave the council gates to allow the Caretaker Committee Chairmen and their members to focus on their primary role of addressing the economic hardships faced by the grassroots. Any interference by the police, he argued, would amount to sabotage.

Regarding the Supreme Court’s ruling that mandates the Federal Government to pay allocations directly to Local Government Councils, Eze criticized supporters of Wike for celebrating the judgement. He pointed out that Wike had opposed local government autonomy as Governor and argued that it is up to the Governors of the 36 states to decide how to implement the judgement. He noted that most states run local government administration through interim administrators, and the judgement contradicts Section 162(6) of the 1999 Constitution, which mandates a joint state/local government account for allocations.

Eze concluded that the Supreme Court can interpret but not change laws, and the National Assembly must amend the relevant constitutional sections to enforce the judgement. He described the celebration by Wike’s supporters as ignorant and questioned their rationale, given their lack of control over any Local Government Council in Rivers State.