Appeal Court Overturns 2015 Judgment that Removed APC LG Chairmen
In a landmark ruling, the Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt has overturned a controversial 2015 judgment by the Federal High Court, which had invalidated the election of local government chairmen under the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State.
The case dates back to 2015 when the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), led by then-Governor Nyesom Wike, challenged the legitimacy of local government elections held before Wike assumed office. The Federal High Court’s decision had ousted the APC chairmen from their posts, but they were not included in the suit, raising concerns about due process.
In its ruling on Friday, a three-man panel of the Court of Appeal, headed by Justice A.H. Lager-Balogun, strongly criticized the Federal High Court for neglecting to address critical issues of jurisdiction and for excluding the affected chairmen from the proceedings. The court declared the earlier ruling null and void, but refrained from issuing any consequential orders regarding the 23 local government councils, leaving the fate of the councils in legal limbo.
James Kalu-Momg, the lawyer representing the sacked chairmen, expressed that his clients would review the judgment before deciding on any further legal actions. Despite the ambiguity of the court’s decision, one of the ousted chairmen, Reginald Ukwuoma, has already called for their reinstatement, citing a vacancy in the local government secretariats following a recent Supreme Court decision.
The case has reignited discussions about the political turmoil in Rivers State and the controversial legal battles surrounding the APC’s position in local governance. The eventual outcome could have significant implications for local government leadership in the state.
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Appeal Court Overturns 2015 Judgment that Removed APC LG Chairmen