Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has directed outgoing local government chairmen across the 23 councils to hand over the administration of their councils to Heads of Local Government Administration (HLGAs) by Monday, March 3, 2025.
The directive followed the recent Supreme Court judgment, which outlawed caretaker arrangements in Nigeria’s local government system.
Governor Fubara made this announcement during a statewide broadcast from Government House, Port Harcourt, on Sunday evening. He emphasized that the measure was necessary to ensure smooth governance while awaiting fresh elections to be conducted by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC).
“Given the outlawing of caretaker arrangements in the local government system, I hereby direct the Heads of Local Government Administration to immediately take over the administration of the 23 local government councils pending the conduct of fresh elections,” Fubara stated.
He acknowledged that although his administration disagreed with the court’s judgment, it remains committed to upholding the rule of law.
“Although we disagree with the judgments, we are bound to obey the orders made therein as a law-abiding government. Upon receipt of the certified true copy of the judgment by Friday, March 7, 2025, we shall study and implement it without reservations,” the governor added.
Governor Fubara urged residents of the state to remain calm and peaceful, assuring them that his administration remains focused on delivering good governance despite the trying times.
“I urge everyone to remain calm and peacefully go about their legitimate daily activities as we continue to fulfill our responsibilities to the citizens,” he said.
The governor’s directive is expected to maintain stability and ensure seamless administration at the grassroots level.
