Yemi Obafemi
Legal practitioner and chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Kenneth Okonkwo, has argued that Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara is constitutionally entitled to serve until November 2027, following his six-month suspension from office.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Monday, Okonkwo maintained that the suspension unlawfully deprived the governor and the people of Rivers State of part of their mandate.
“The constitution is already clear in Section 180 subsection 2, that the term of office is four years; the governor vacates his seat after four years from the day he was sworn in. So, if he leaves by May 29, 2027, he has not served for four years,” he said.
He added that the Supreme Court had affirmed the sanctity of a governor’s four-year term, citing previous judgments that established staggered elections in the country.
“Now his six months have been illegally, brutally, without reason, taken away from him. That means you have denied the Rivers people the four years that the constitution gave them the power to be served by a governor,” Okonkwo stressed.
According to him, Governor Fubara has the constitutional right to seek redress, while Rivers people also have the right to enjoy the full four-year mandate they voted for.
“So, I’m saying that Fubara has the right by the constitution to seek redress as to his term of office, and the Rivers people have the right to be served for four years by Fubara, that was what they voted him for. So, in my own opinion and to my understanding his tenure should end on the 29 of November 2027.” he concluded.
