A State in Chaos
Rivers State is currently embroiled in a political storm following Governor Sim Fubara’s directive for heads of local government administrations to take over the affairs of the state’s 23 local government councils. This move comes on the heels of a Supreme Court judgment that sacked all local government chairmen elected in October 2024. The decision has ignited a fierce debate, with accusations flying and legal experts weighing in on the controversy.
The Supreme Court’s Bombshell Judgment
The crisis began when the Supreme Court, in a landmark ruling, declared the October 2024 local government elections invalid. The court, led by Justice Jamilu Tukur, found that the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) failed to meet the conditions stipulated by Section 150(3) of the Electoral Act, 2022. Specifically, there was no evidence that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had reviewed the voters’ register at least 90 days before the election.
This ruling overturned a previous decision by the Court of Appeal in Abuja, which had validated the election results. The Supreme Court’s decision effectively restored an earlier Federal High Court judgment that barred INEC from releasing the voters’ register to RSIEC for the polls.
Fubara’s Directive: A Bold Move or Overreach?
In response to the Supreme Court’s ruling, Governor Fubara ordered the sacked chairmen to hand over power to the heads of local government administration. In a statewide broadcast on Sunday, March 2, 2025, Fubara emphasized that this move was necessary to maintain order and ensure the smooth functioning of local governments until fresh elections could be conducted.
“I have directed the outgoing Local Government Chairmen to formally hand over the levers of power to the Heads of Personnel Management by Monday, 3rd March 2025,” Fubara declared. He also assured the public that his administration would study the Supreme Court’s judgment and implement it fully.
Wike’s Camp Fights Back
Not everyone is on board with Fubara’s decision. Lere Olayinka, spokesperson for former Governor Nyesom Wike, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), argued that Fubara lacks the constitutional authority to decide how local governments should be run. Olayinka insisted that only the Rivers State House of Assembly has the power to extend the tenure of democratically elected local government officials.
“Governors can no longer direct or order who should run Local Governments and who should not,” Olayinka stated. “It is the duty of the Rivers State House of Assembly to extend the tenure of the democratically elected Local Government Chairmen and Councilors.”
Legal Experts Weigh In
The controversy has also drawn the attention of legal experts. Activist lawyer Madubuachi Idam criticized Fubara’s directive, arguing that it was not contemplated by the Supreme Court’s judgment. However, Idam also acknowledged that the governor has the authority to maintain law and order in the state.
“Fubara is within his right as the Chief Executive of the state to act in respect of maintaining law and order,” Idam said. “There is no law that says he can’t order the local government to be taken care of pending the proper election in the state.”
What’s Next for Rivers State?
As the political drama unfolds, Rivers State remains in a state of uncertainty. The sacked chairmen have vacated their offices, but the battle over who should control the local governments is far from over. With fresh elections on the horizon, the coming weeks will be crucial in determining the future of governance in the state.
