Assembly Amends Laws To Extend Tenure Of LGA Chairman.

Rivers State House of Assembly at its 120th Legislative Sitting, on Wednesday again amended the Rivers State Local Government Law to extend the tenure of local government chairman and Councilor if election is nit conducted at the stipulated time.

Speaker, Martin Amaewhule posited that the intendment of the Bill is to amend Section 9(2), (3) and (4)of the Principal Law to empower the House of Assembly via resolution to extend the tenure of elected Chairmen and Councilors, where it is considered  impracticable to hold Local Government elections before the expiration of their three years in office; adding that the amendment is to ensure that Local Government elections are conducted before the expiration of the outgoing Local Government administration.

The Speaker stated that upon the expiration of the tenure of the outgoing Local Government administration, the Governor shall swear in the newly elected Chairmen and Vice Chairmen of the Councils, but where the Governor is unable or fails to perform the duty, the House shall by resolution mandate Judicial Officers or Magistrates to perform the task; stressing that the progressive intendment of the Bill cannot be overemphasized.

In a similar development, the House gave First Readingto the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (Amendment) Bill, sponsored by Hon. Linda Somiari- Stewart, Member representing Okrika Constituency; which isa Bill for a Law to amend the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission Law No 2 of 2018.