Controversies continue to trail the local government election conducted by the defunct Prof. Augustine Ahiazu led Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, RSIEC on the May 23, 2015.
Opinions are divided on the conduct of the controversial LGA polls.
Some persons believe that Prof. Ahaizu led RSIEC did not do the right thing, before conducting the said election, because the mandatory ninety (90) days notice was not given to all the registered political parties to participate.
As a result of this flaw other registered parties did not partake in the poll, except the All Progressives Congress (APC). Thus several Rivers indigenes described it as monumental and colossal fraud.
On Monday this week, the Rivers State House of Assembly summoned the chairman and members of the RSIEC. During the deliberation of the House, a resolution was reached after more than two third of the House members voted to empower Governor Ezenwo Wike to take action against the Commission.
Earlier, leader of the House, Martins Amaehule representing Obio/Akpor Constituency 1 who made reference to some sections of the 1999 constitution as mended and the law establishing the RSIEC said the Commission was not able to convince the Assembly on its responsibilities.
Acting on the resolution of the House, the governor finally dissolved the RSIEC. Wike said the Commission was sacked after being found guilty of official misconduct. Wike’s senior media officer, Sir Opunabo Inko-Tariah told journalists that the chairman of RSIEC and its members had been directed to handover to the most senior civil servant in the Commission.
Thus a civil society group has petitioned the Rivers State House of Assembly calling for the removal of all the Local Government Chairmen in the State.
The group, Civil Liberties Organisation, CLO, in a statement signed by its Rivers State Chairman, Sotonye George, charged the State Assembly to empower the state Governor, Nyesom Wike to dissolve the newly elected Chairmen and their Councillors.
CLO accused the former Governor Rotimi Amaechi-led government of going against a purported court order by holding the elections.
The group also called on the State House of Assembly to investigate an alleged N4.5 billion spent on the Local council elections.
The CLO further noted that the move by the elected Chairmen to get an injunction to stop Wike from disolving them was an abuse of court process.
According to the statement, the “Civil Liberties Organization has petitioned the Rivers State House of Assembly calling on it to immediately take necessary legislative actions and resolutions to dissolve the Local Government Chairmen and their Councilors who are illegally occupying office as they are unknown to law giving that their purported elections were null and void ab initio by a subsisting order of court.
“Thus: When a court gives an order or when a matter is before a court of competent jurisdiction, parties are automatically bound to stay away automatically from the RES or Subject matter so as not to commit contempt or foist a fait accompli on the court knowing that the subject matter immediately comes under the custody of the Court.
“Therefore, anything done contrary to the order of Court becomes an affront on the Court and a nullity.
“Therefore, we have charged the House that they are duty bound to resolve that the Governor should quickly dissolve the Illegal Chairmen and their Councilors and immediately constitute Caretaker Committees for the affected Local Government areas pending when the state can conduct proper Local Government Elections so as not to be caught in the web of laches and acquisance as ‘delay defeats equity’.
“It is the position of the Civil Liberties Organization that the House must probe RSIEC and investigate the spending of this 4.5 billion Naira outrageous sum for an illegal venture called L.G.A elections on May 23, 2015 even when workers in the state were not paid their salaries for several months.
“Remember, the suit by the self acclaimed Local Government chairmen seeking to retrain their dissolution is a clear abuse of Court process giving that the same matter is in a sister Court, which granted an order, which they now seek to validate and benefit from as it is clear that they may have been purportedly elected but in all ramifications not in any way duly elected.
“Therefore, they do not exist. Thus this intervention cannot be viewed as subjudice but lawful, legal and necessary.
“We also call on the relevant security agencies to investigate those making statements capable of causing breakdown of law/order and cause anarchy in the state on this matter”.
As the calls for the dissolution of the council are going louder and higher, and the subsequent sack of the chairman of RSIEC, Prof. Augustine Ahiazu and his members fear now grip the chairmen of Rivers councils and their councilors. Knowledgable sources informed The Newswriter that some council chairmen are now organizing all night vigils and prayers in their respective council secretariats. Their major prayer point is God’s intervention so they will spend three (3) years in office. Candles, incease, olive oil are freely use during the prayer session.
A man who refuses to mention his name told our political correspondent that, he sighted members of a white garment church in one of the council secretariats in Orashi region in the midnight dancing round the premises.
The Newswriter was reliably informed that, also in one of the council secretariats in the Kalabari speaking LGAs, a council chairman consulted the services of a native doctor to perform some invocations and incantations. The reason for such deadly and nefarious exercise is not known, but highly dependable source notified this weekly that it might be connected to the fear of the dissolution of the council.
In a particular LGA in Ogoniland comes a report that, drops of human blood and some half burnt candle sticks were seen in the premises of the council secretariat.
Speaking with our reporter, a social commentator, Comrade Boma George, described the diabolitical activities engage by some council chairmen as ungodly and nonsense.
“They come to the office through illegal election. And I believe that God loves justice and hates irregularities and impartiality, therefore whatever thing they are doing it will not come to fruition. They must leave office and nothing will happen”.
Comrade George concluded. ###
