The suspended elected chairmen and councilors of the 27 local government areas of Imo took the streets of Owerri on Thursday morning to protest against their continued illegitimate suspension and call on governor Emeka Ihedioha to obey supreme court ruling of 11th December 2019, on the autonomy of third tier government.
The Supreme Court of Nigeria in a five man panel headed by Justice Olubolade Joe in a unanimous judgement barred state governors from having the power to sack elected local government chairmen and councilors henceforth. Other areas of the ruling that took place on 11th Dec 2019 includes:
1. No state Governor will henceforth have the powers to sack dully elected local government chairmen and the appointment of caretaker chairmen is also barred .
2. The act giving legislative powers to state Assembly members to undergo a process by sacking elected local government chairmen is NULLED and VOID.
3. That a copy of the judgement should be served to all 36 state Houses of Assembly and the Minister of FCT on or before the 30th December 2019.
Justice Olubolade Joe five man panel of the Supreme Court finally Buried the powers of state Assemblies and Governors from sacking dully elected local government chairmen .
Recall that on 17th of June, Governor Ihedioha suspended the Chairmen, Vice Chairmen, Councilors and political appointees of the local governments of Imo State and constituted Interim Management Committees said to take charge for six months. That six months elapsed on 17th of December.
However, despite the supreme court ruling, the governor announced the extension of the appointment of the committee and also extended the suspension of the duly elected LGA officials.
This is why the elected chairmen and councilors in the state trooped to the streets to protest the extension of their suspension as well as compel the governor to obey the supreme court ruling of 11th December, 2019 to enable them go back to discharging their constitutional duties.
See more photos from their protest below.
