₦airaland Forum

LG Chairmen, Councilors To Enjoy Four-Year Tenure — Supreme Court

Council Chairmen, Councilors to enjoy four-year tenure-Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of Nigeria, in a landslide judgement on local government autonomy, ordered that the four-year tenure enjoyed by executives be extended to the offices of all local government chairmen across the country.

This is contained in the Certified True Copy (CTC) of a judgement delivered by Justice Mohammed Garba and six others on May 11, 2024.

Garba said that some states have, by their various illegal actions, starved the local government councils in their states to the extent that most of them cannot exercise their constitutional powers or perform their statutory functions.

The Justice described the situation of the LGA in the country as “one tier of government’s inhumanity to another tier of government.”

Garbage said that LGAs in Nigeria, unlike branches of incorporated bodies or entities, are constitutionally the third tier of government in the Federation.

According to him, their political and financial independence is duly guaranteed by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).

The Justice said that Section 2(2) of the Constitution provides that “Nigeria shall be a Federation consisting of States and a Federal Capital Territory.”.

He further stated that 36 states in the country are specified, in alphabetical order, by Section 3(1) of the Constitution.

He said that Section 3(6) of the Constitution provides that “there shall be 768 local government areas in Nigeria,“ while Section 1(2) of the Constitution provides that “Nigeria shall not be governed, nor shall any person or group of persons take control of the Government of Nigeria or any part thereof, except in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution.”.

The Justice, however, said that in respect of the six Area Councils of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, there is template legislation by the National Assembly.

He said that by way of sections 108, 109, 110, and 113 of the Electoral Act (2022), the dissolution (tenure of area councils), the vacation of seats of members, removal of the chairman or vice chairman, recall, etc. were addressed. And elections to the area councils are promptly conducted or held by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

“It is, therefore, unfortunate that some states do not even bother about conducting elections into local government councils as required by the relevant laws of their Houses of Assembly.

“Under Section 135(3) of the Constitution, the tenure of four years for the president, provided for by Section 135(2) thereof, shall be extended for periods not exceeding a period of six months at any time by a resolution of the National Assembly if it is not practicable to hold elections.

“By the same token, by a law of a State House of Assembly, the tenure of local government councils can be legally extended for any reason, such as insecurity or war, if it becomes impracticable or impossible for elections into the local government councils to be conducted.

“The mandate given to an elected local government council is the mandate of the electorate of that local government area, and if the tenure is extended, it is the people’s mandate that is extended.

“If the tenure of a local government council is truncated, as it is the norm now, it is an illegal termination of the electorate’s mandate, and it is not to be encouraged but roundly condemned.

“By the doctrine of separation of powers, it is the constitutional duty or function of the Legislature to make laws, which include amendments and repeals, and the duty of the judiciary is to interpret the laws to achieve the intended purpose of the legislation,” he said.

Source: https://kinggram.org/go/politics/lg-chairmen-councilors-to-enjoy-four-year-tenure-supreme-court/

...enjoy indeed!

Revolutionary judgment!

So Rivers chairmen are lucky, as their tenure was extended before the judgement!

Let them enjoy 40 years, not 4 years

Tinubu's Presidency seems o have rejuvenated our judiciary

It feels like we now have a truly independent Supreme Court for once

An independent local govt is one of the steps required for development to happen

Renewed hope

Kam2021:
So Rivers chairmen are lucky, as their tenure was extended before the judgement!

Yes bro. We warned Fubala to slow down politics is not okrika business.

Mstchewwww

Let them loot for 600 years


Sai Baba , on your hairy scrotum we stand

Lol
I don't know wether to be happy or sad 😅😅
Anyone sha, I hope they help the poor masses that's what matter most.

Kobojunkieee:
The responsibilities at the LG level are so much simpler to achieve than those at the State and FG levels. Matching each LG Councilman with the same level of power that the one State governor in the same state has is a terrible idea because the ones who will bear the consequences are the people.

That is the reason why I'm having mixed feelings
😅😅😅😅

Just as 36 governors use to be a pain in the a.ss for the President, now the 36 governors will have 768 LGA pain in their own as.ses.

Any LGA that votes in a tyrant will enjoy RENEWED HOPE PRO MAX, GORILLA GLASS, WATER RESISTANT AND FULL HD RESOLUTION DISPLAY 😅😅😅😂😂😂😂

bad decision. that to loot galore

4 years with nothing to show for it?

Have imo state ever had any local government election for so since the time of Rochas?

Before nko,were they elected for two months... this supreme court is as corrupt as the man in aso rock...we need changes of system.

Tulumbu has gotten the grassroots supports

2027 go choke oOoOO

Meanwhile

This is a little thing that matters the most.

INEC still need to be in charge of their Election for total freedom not State Govt

Kam2021:
So Rivers chairmen are lucky, as their tenure was extended before the judgement!

Kpem kpetem

If you have Igbo blood in you, this is time to unfollow Reno Omokiri from all social media. Join the campaign now!

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State angrily left the thread

Fishgamer:
LG Chairmen, Councilors To Enjoy Four-Year Tenure — Supreme Court



Source: https://kinggram.org/go/politics/lg-chairmen-councilors-to-enjoy-four-year-tenure-supreme-court/

Which kind remote source is this? Na so una go dey push write-ups and articles outside to favour una side on this Rivers State/LG imbroglio!

If you have Igbo blood in you, this is time to unfollow Reno Omokiri from all social media. Join the campaign now!.......

If you have Igbo blood in you, this is time to unfollow Reno Omokiri from all social media. Join the campaign now!......

If you have Igbo blood in you, this is time to unfollow Reno Omokiri from all social media. Join the campaign now!

Nonsense judgement

Fubara 2: ex-LGA chairmen:0

NB:The LGA chairmen were never elected inthe first place and the last time I checked, Wike never conducted any LGA election during his time as Gov of Rivers.

Balling!

Thank God the chairmen do not have immunity. You misbehave, we have you picked up immediately.

Garbage said that LGAs in Nigeria, unlike branches of incorporated bodies or

Haba... Garbage kuma? Toh

Garba Dai