National Industrial Court saves Rivers LGAs for now

The last minute elected coun- cil chairmen in Rivers State whose fate dangled in the balance received temporary re- prieve from the judiciary Monday, 2015, through an interim injunc- tion.

The National Industrial Court of Nigeria sitting in Yenagoa, Bay- elsa State, presided over by J.T. Agbadu-Fishim, granted an order of interim injunction against the governor of Rivers State, the Rivers State House of Assembly and the Attorney-General of Rivers State and their agents from dissolving, suspending, sacking terminating or in any manner whatsoever in- terfering with the tenure of office of the 23 Local Government Councils of Rivers State.

The order followed a motion ex-parte and affidavit of extreme urgency filed by the 23 Local Government Council chairmen on behalf of themselves and the 23 Local Government Councils of Rivers State.

It also restrained the Inspector-General of Police or his agents and proxies from enforcing any purported action detrimental to the existence of the 23 chairmen and councils in Rivers State.

The order will remain in force until the hearing and determina- tion of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction.

Reacting to the development, the All Progressives Congress (APC) said the governor, House of Assembly and the Attorney-Gen- eral of the state had been hatching all manner of schemes to do away with the elected 23 local govern- ment councils in Rivers State.

“We believe that despite the presence of a few bad eggs, the judiciary remains the last hope of the oppressed. Therefore, we hail this decision by the Yenagoa High Court as specified in the attached order,” the party said.

IGNATIUS CHUKWU