Forty five opposition political parties operating in Rivers State have invited the attention of EFCC and ICPC to investigate the non-payment of N3 million being balance of grant to each of the parties in respect of 21 local government areas election.
This was made known in a press briefing at the weekend by Prince Uchechukwu Ichenwo, chairman, Association of Frontline Political Parties in Rivers State, in Port Harcourt.
Prince Ichenwo told journalists that the opposition parties are compelled to bring to the knowledge of the good people of Rivers state the “diabolic antics of Professor Nimi Briggs, chairman of Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission RSIEC, and his commissioners.”
He stated that the press briefing became imperative in view of the parties’ obligation to the present and future generations of Rivers people and also to unearth the can of worms and deep seated moral and financial filthy firmly rooted in the nerves and blood strings of the chairman, Prof. Briggs and his crop of commissioners.
Prince Ichenwo noted that out a total of N10 million meant for each political party in May 2011 elections, only N5 million was remitted to them and that repeated letters to the RSIEC boss for audience were rebuffed.
The association of frontline political parties’ boss challenged RSIEC to openly state why up till date funds meant for Degema area council elections have only been disbursed to some political parties, while over 15 are yet to be credited with their money, months after the election and wondered if that action was not another subterranean move to embezzle the fund.
The association went further to challenge RSIEC to explain to Rivers people who are the proprietors and owners of the news fair communication Nigria Ltd that printed the sensitive materials used for 2008/2011 local government election why the sum of N496m was remitted to the coffers of one of the commissioners who printed the sensitive materials such as ballot papers and result sheets.
The association said it should be investigated by both the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
“We invite the ICPC and EFCC to both investigate the sum of N282 million each appropriated to themselves by the chairman of the commission and his commissioners under the sub-heads of election duty and election hazards.
“We hereby openly and most sincerely request for an investigation into why additional funds given to RSIEC for the printing of materials following the extension in date but were not printed rather but old forms meant from 2008 election were superimposed on 2010/2011 election,” he said.
He contended that despite the fact that the commission (RSIEC) was responsible for the dismal performance of opposition parties in 2008/2011 local government election in Rivers state by deliberately withholding Funds meant for political parties for the conduct of LG elections in 2011 that fell short of basic minimum standard required of law.
“Therefore we invite the RSG led by His Excellency Gov. Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi to institute an independent inquiry to investigate various crisis that has rocked RSIEC in recent time, adding that the attitude of billionaire members of RSIEC over their huge financial war chest and empire they have built for themselves, have led to their behaviour as though they were tin gods with less listening ears,” he stated.
Finally, the association boss challenged Prof. Briggs and his commissioners to state what they did with N4.7bn released to them for the conduct of 2011 LG election, and how much was released to them by RSG and not to announce that N550,000m was appropriated for the participation of various political parties for the 2011 election without a corresponding proof or evidence of bank statements to that effect. ###
Senibo A. Atagbara
