A former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ogbonna Nwuke, has called on the Rivers State government to ensure that the forthcoming local government election is conducted before the expiration of the tenure of current chairmen and councillors.
The tenure of the current chairmen and councillors of the 23 local government councils in the state will expired in the beginning of the second quarter of this year.
However, the Rivers State House of Assembly, has resolved not to support the appointment of caretaker committees to run the affairs of the LGAs.
Nwuke, who spoke with LEADERSHIP in Port Harcourt yesterday, said although the caretaker committee had always been there, but it would be good to have the outing chairmen handing over to their successors just like it is done at the federal and state levels.
He said: “Honestly speaking, our system had, in the past sustained a caretaker arrangement of not more than three months, which enables those who conduct elections, particularly at the local government level, to conduct fresh elections.
“Those who are saying at this time, that we should do away with the caretaker system and go through fresh elections and have fresh council chairmen, hand over power as we do at the state and national and national levels, they do have a solid point.
“It means that there would be no vacuums created. It means that the period of time allowed for appointees to act as chairmen and supervisory councillors, will be exterminated.
“When you look at that from that point of view, I don’t think that those calling for an election prior to the expiration of the tenure of the current chairmen and councillors.”
