Ogona Anita
In a landmark judgment today, the Federal High Court, Abuja Division, struck out the suit filed by Chidi J. Lloyd and 20 former Local Government chairmen in Rivers State, ending their quest for legitimacy and tenure elongation came to a crashing end on Friday
Justice James Omotosho dismissed the case, SUIT No. FHC/ABJ/CS/537/2024, citing lack of locus standi. Lloyd and his co-plaintiffs had sought to extend their expired tenure, which ended on June 16, 2024, based on a controversial amendment law passed by the Rivers State House of Assembly under Martin Chike Amaewhule and 26 defected lawmakers.
The court held that the former chairmen had no legal right to their claims and declared their continued tenure pretensions extension baseless.
Recall that Chidi Lloyd also a lawyer and co sought legal imprimaturs for their continued extensions as Local Government Council chairmen in spite of the fact that their 3 years Constitutional tenure expired on the 16th of June 2024.
Their quest for extensions were anchored on the Local Government Amendment Law illegally passed by their embattled Rivers State House of Assembly speaker; Martin Chike Amaewhule, and his 26 others, who are seen as automatically ceased to be members of RSHA by reason of their defection on the 11th day of December 2023.
Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court Abuja Division put a full stop to this extensions by Chidi J. Lloyd and 20rs when he struck out their suit for want of locus standi. His Lordship was emphatic that Chidi J. Lloyd and his 20 co-Travellers ceased to be Local Government Council chairmen and thus have no rights whatsoever to protect
This decision closes the chapter on a legal battle rooted in political controversies and reaffirms the expiration of their mandates.
Although by the Nigeria constitution the matter is subject to appeal
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