The Benue State House of Assembly has amended 2007 Local Government (LG) and approved a three-year tenure for LG elected officials.
The amendment of the 2007 LG law took place on Friday, few hours before local government elections slated for Saturday.
The house, presided over by its Speaker, Hyacinth Dajoh, unanimously agreed that the LG law be amended after clause-to-clause in consideration of the bill.
The house therefore expunged the two-year tenure, which was in the former law in sections 13(2) and 27(3), and substituted it with three-year tenure.
Ruling after the legislative processes, Dajoh agreed that the amendment was necessary to allow the chairmen enough time to develop their areas.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the bill has been sent to the governor for his assent.
In a separate development, the assembly confirmed the appointment of Mr Halem Ikyo of Zone B and Mr David Ochapa of Zone C as deputy clerks of the house. (NAN)