Legal practitioner, Okoi Obono-Obla who is a former aide to ex-President Buhari has faulted the Speaker of Cross River State House of Assembly, Elvert Ayambem over the four-year tenure of potential chairmen of the 18 local government areas of the state.
Governor Bassey Otu yesterday assented to the Cross River State Independent Electoral Commission, CROSIEC Law, 2002 (as amended) giving them the power to proceed to conduct council elections before year-end.
Speaker Ayambem reportedly explained that the law was in alignment with the latest decision of the Supreme Court of Nigeria that the tenure of local government councils’ elected officials must be four years as is the case with other elected officials in the country.
Obono-Obla in a statement argued that such tenure law is not found in any laws of the state.
“I have thoroughly searched the Cross River State Independent Electoral Commission Law, 2002 (as amended) and I have not seen anywhere or any provision to that effect.
“It is safe to say there is no law presently in Cross River State to reflect what Mr Speaker was talking about.”
According to him, the CROSIEC law 2002 has not dealt with the provision on the tenure of the Chairmen or Councilors but that of 2004 does
He stressed that there has not been an amendment of the law approving a four-year tenure.
He called on the Speaker to clarify, saying the beauty or benefits of the modification of law is clarity and easier for citizens, lawyers, and judges to understand and apply.