Fate of 3 Rivers LGA Chairmen Hangs in Balance as High Court Fixes June 3 for Judgment
The Mayor of Port Harcourt, alongside two other local government chairmen in Rivers State maybe leaving office on Wednesday, June 3 2026 should a High Court sitting in Port Harcourt deliver judgment in favour of their traducers.
This became apparent on Monday, May 19, 2026 when the High Court fixed the said date for judgment in a suit challenging their emergence as flagbearers of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Saturday, August 30, 2025 local council polls in the State.
The Mayor of Port Harcourt, Allwell Ihunda, Chairmen of Obio/Akpor and Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGAs, Gift Worlu, alongside their Vice Chairmen and Councillors, are respondents in the said Suit.
Other respondents in the Suit are the PDP, its Rivers State Chapter Chairman, Aaron Chukwuemeka, Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), and the Rivers State Government; while the plaintiffs are Enyi Uchechukwu, Wisdom Kalio and Uche Amadi, all members of the PDP.
The presiding judge in the suit, Justice Stephen Jumbo adjourned the matter for judgment after counsels to the parties adopted their final written addresses on both the preliminary objections and the originating summons before the court.
The claimants are asking the court to determine whether the Aaron Chukwuemeka-led PDP State Executive, which congresses were allegedly nullified by an earlier judgment of the Rivers State High Court, could validly submit a list of candidates to RSIEC for the conduct of the local council polls.
They are also seeking the court’s determination on whether the PDP validly presented candidates to RSIEC through the factional state executive to participate in the August 30, 2025 local government elections.
Although the Rivers State Government did not file any processes or adopt any address in the matter, the court had earlier granted leave and an application for extension of time sought by the plaintiffs.
The outcome of the suit is expected to have far-reaching implications for the legitimacy of the affected local government administrations in Rivers State.
