Renowned lawyer Femi Falana emphasised that the Supreme Court’s precedents uphold the expiration of local government tenure in Rivers State, contrary to attempted extensions. In an Arise TV interview from 17:20, Falana cited the Constitution’s Section 7, which mandates democratic elections for local government positions.
He referenced past cases, including President Obasanjo’s unsuccessful attempt to extend councillors’ terms and a recent judgement declaring Rivers’ law amendment allowing extensions as illegal and unconstitutional.
According to him, “You cannot extend the tenure of local government in the case of the Attorney General of Abia or the state and the federal government when President Obasanjo attempted to extend or did announce the extension, adding one year to the three-year term of the first set of councilors under the political dispensation in Ekiti, in Plateau, in Katsina, in Oyo State, and the rest of them. The Supreme Court has made the point by virtue of Section 7 of the Constitution, which provides that the system of local government shall be by democratically elected government. You must ensure that proper elections are conducted. Now in the case of Rivers, there’s already a judgement that the amendment of the law that allowed extension is illegal and unconstitutional.”…..Sée Móre
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