From all indications the circumstances surrounding the conduct of the last Saturday’s local government election and the subsequent swearing-in of the new council chairmen by the out-going Governor of Rivers State, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi have clearly shown how Amaechi’s administration takes the laws into its hands in running the affairs of the State.
Before the 23 May 2015 LGA election, prominent Rivers politicians, political parties and social pundits questioned the rationale behind the Prof. Augustine Ahiazu’s Independent Electoral Commission to conduct the council polls.
One of the basic reasons why they kicked against the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) in the conduct of the local polls was that the state electoral body had refused to issue 90 days notice to all the registered political parties to participate.
The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in the state, Bro. Felix Obuah also faulted RSIEC in its plan to conduct the poll.
According to Bro. Obuah, the state electoral body is composed of card carrying members of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The PDP said that, RSIEC’s plan to conduct the LGA poll is an indication to cause crisis in the state.
In his speech on Tuesday, the incoming governor, Chief Barr. Nyesom Wike picked hole in the last Saturday’s council polls. He said that RSIEC did not follow a due process, considering a court order asking it not to conduct the polls.
Wike described the LGA polls as illegal that cannot stand the test of time. He told his audience that the incoming administration under Gen. Muhammadu Buhari would even support the dissolution of the council.
Information reaching our Political desk had it that, the first assignment before the 8th Rivers Assembly is to deliberate on the dissolution of the council. The Newswriter has it authoritatively that, before June 5, the new LGA Council Chairmen will be dissolved and give way to a fresh set of Caretaker Committee members that will pilot the affairs of the Rivers councils till a credible local government poll will be conducted by Wike’s administration. ###
