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| Embattled 22 APC Rivers Council Chairmen |
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN ) has intervened in the crisis arising from court orders and rulings over legality of the Rivers State local government councils to ensure peace, it was learnt yesterday evening in Port Harcourt. An All Progressives Congress (APC ) chieftain, who craved anonymity, said the vice president demanded copies of the courts ’ orders and rulings to properly study them and decide on the way forward.
Prof. Osinbajo, as at press time last night , was meeting with
the state stakeholders in Abuja on the face – off , making it difficult to get the outcome of the closed- door meeting.
The caretaker committee chairmen and members inaugurated by Governor Nyesom Wike on July 9 have taken over the 22 of 23 local government areas after policemen allowed them access to the secretariats . In Port Harcourt yesterday evening, the 23 elected councils ’ chairmen , who belonging to the APC and led by Chimbiko Iche Akarolo of Port Harcourt City
Council , also met with the leadership of the party behind closed doors . But the decisions reached were not made public . Justice John Agbadu – Fishim of the National Industrial Court ( NIC) in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, on June 22 , gave an order restraining Wike from dissolving 22 of the 23 councils , while further hearing on the suit was adjourned till October 6.
The order , which will remain in force until the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction , restrained Rivers governor , the state House of Assembly, the state Attorney – General and their agents from dissolving ,suspending, sacking, terminating or in any manner whatsoever interfering with the tenure of office of the 23 local councils chairmen . The order also restrained the Inspector – General of Police (IGP) or his agents and privies from enforcing any purported action detrimental to the existence of the 23
chairmen and councillors . The order was duly served on all parties, including the IGP.
On July 9, Justice Lambo Akanbi of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, dissolved the 22 councils for allegedly disobeying his order . But the chairmen immediately filed a motion for stay of execution of the ruling at the Court of Appeal , Port Harcourt. But this was ignored by Wike. The state governor , on the same July 9, sent names of chairmen and members of caretaker committees to the state ’s House of Assembly, led by Ikuinyi – Owaji Iban and they were quickly screened by the 32 lawmakers , consisting of 31 PDP and one APC members .
The caretaker committee members were inaugurated by Wike around 10 p. m . on the same Thursday . The sacked 22 chairmen and their councillors were elected on May 23 this year ,
during the Rotimi Amaechi ’s administration . The tenure of the chairman and councillors of Ogba /Egbema /Ndoni council will expire next year and was not affected by the dissolution.
The NIC in Yenagoa is of equal /coordinate jurisdiction with the FHC in Port Harcourt, which handled the ruling on July 9.
