The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has been barred by the National Industrial Court from dissolving the 23 local government councils in the state.
Alongside the Governor, the State House of Assembly, Attorney-General and agents of the state government were also slapped with a restraining order from dissolving, suspending, terminating or in any manner whatsoever interfering with the tenure of the councils.
The court which sat in Yenagoa, Bayelsa, was presided over by Justice James Justice Agbadu-Fishim.
The interim order, in Suit No: NICN/YEN/26/2015, which was granted on Monday, June 22, 2015, followed a motion ex-parte and affidavit of extreme urgency filed by chairmen of the 23 local government councils on behalf of themselves, and the 23 local government councils of the state.
The order 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 the state.
Agbadu-Fishim stated that the interim order will remain in force until the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for Interlocutory Injunction
Particularly excited about the ruling, the publicity secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Chris Finebone praised the decision of the Court.
According to him, the judiciary remains the last hope of the oppressed despite the presence of a few bad eggs.
Finebone, “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.”
