Court to decide fate of three Rivers LG Chairmen June 3
Rivers State Court to Rule on Local Government Chairmen’s Legitimacy
The Rivers State High Court is set to deliver its ruling on June 3, 2026, regarding the legitimacy of the chairmen of three Local Government Areas in Rivers State. The areas in question are Obio/Akpor, Port Harcourt City, and Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni.
The legal challenge was initiated by three members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who are contesting the leadership of the factional state chairman, Aaron Chukwuemeka. The suit also names the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), the PDP, and the Rivers State Government as defendants.
Justice Stephen Jumbo, presiding over the case in Port Harcourt, scheduled the judgment date after counsel for the involved parties presented their final written submissions concerning both preliminary objections and the originating summons.
Notably, the Rivers State Government did not file any documents or provide a statement during this phase of the proceedings. Earlier, the court approved an application for an extension of time submitted by the plaintiffs.
The plaintiffs—Enyi Uchechukwu, Wisdom Kalio, and Uche Amadi—seek a legal determination on whether the Chukwuemeka-led PDP executive, whose previous congresses were annulled by the court, had the authority to present a candidate list to RSIEC for the recently held local government elections. They are also requesting the court’s interpretation on the validity of the candidates submitted by the PDP, which allowed participation in the local government elections held on August 30, 2025.
