Kenneth Okonkwo, a lawyer, social media critic, and media influencer, has expressed strong opposition to some of the Supreme Court’s recent rulings regarding the political affairs of Rivers State. In an interview on Symfoni TV, Okonkwo expressed his concerns over what he saw as contradictory judgments by the court. He highlighted the case of Plateau State, where the Supreme Court had ruled that the State House of Assembly was properly constituted with only six members because the remaining members had defected. He argued that the same principle should have applied in the Rivers State case, but the court’s ruling contradicted this earlier stance.
Okonkwo further suggested that, in light of the Supreme Court’s ruling, the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission should organize a new local government election. He pointed out that the previous election, conducted under the Fubara administration, was declared invalid by the court. According to him, organizing a new election would resolve the issues identified by the court and give the people of Rivers State a chance to choose their leaders in a fair process.
He also disagreed with claims made by some that the legislature had extended the tenures of the former local government chairmen. Okonkwo considered this alleged extension illegal and a violation of the rule of law. He described such a legislative action as “treasonable,” emphasizing that it was an overreach of legislative power into the executive domain, which should not have been allowed.
Asserting his position, Okonkwo recalled his earlier opposition to Governor Fubara’s decision to form a caretaker committee for local governments. He believed this was also illegal and did not align with proper governance procedures. He had previously argued that the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission should be responsible for organizing a legitimate election, and this opinion had remained unchanged even after the Supreme Court’s judgment.
He expressed frustration with the idea that the legislature could unilaterally extend the tenures of the local government chairmen, a move that he believed undermined the democratic process. Okonkwo called for immediate corrective action, urging the Rivers State government to heed the Supreme Court’s ruling by holding another election and ensuring that the proper procedures were followed.
Okonkwo reaffirmed his belief that the people of Rivers State should be allowed to govern themselves through a transparent and lawful electoral process. He called for the necessary amendments to be made in response to the court’s judgment, and he reiterated that any actions contrary to the rule of law were not acceptable in a democratic system.
In his remarks, “So saying the legislature extended the tenures of the Local Government chairmen is treasonable”.
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