PDP, lawyer, others back June 16 date fixed by RSIEC for local govt. elections as APC kicks

As the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Rivers State vehemently kicks against the June 16, 2018 date fixed by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, RSIEC, for the conduct of local government election in the state, many stakeholders have welcomed the planned election.

Recall that the Chairman of the APC in Rivers State, Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, during the stakeholders meeting with RSIEC on Tuesday threatened to drag the commission to court to challenge the conduct of the planned local government election, scheduled for Saturday June 16, 2018, in court.

Dr. Ikanya stated that the matter concerning the local government election was still pending in court and that the electoral body had no power to dabble into such exercise pending the determination of the case.

“The issue of the law itself is in court. We are saying that there is nowhere in the world that you make a law to say once RSIEC conducts election, no court can adjudicate. And the matter is in the Supreme Court. It is in the place of the Supreme Court to declare that the tenure of these people is over and that it is going to conduct another election.

In a press conference in Port Harcourt also on Wednesday, the APC Chairman said: “It is important to note that the APC and the 23 LGA chairmen had approached the Federal High Court to challenge their dissolution by Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike and be joined in the matter in a motion on notice filed on their behalf on the 22/04/15 in Suit No: PHC/PH/CS/84/2015 as necessary parties and to enable them file and serve their counter affidavit in opposition to the motion seeking to nullify that election.

“The motion also prayed the trial court to stay its ruling to enable them file a counter affidavit in opposition to the motion seeking to nullify their elections. Even when the motion was in the file of the Court, Hon. Justice Lambo Akanbi, formerly of the Port Harcourt Division of the FHC, refused to fix it for hearing and did not even issue hearing notice to the 23 LGA Chairmen.

“The constitutionality of the RSIEC Law 2018 is a subject of litigation before the Federal High Court between APC v. INEC & Ors. in Suit No: FHC/PH/CS/13/2018 and it is just but laughable that RSIEC as currently empanelled is engaging in a wild goose chase of conducting an election which RSIEC as a party is aware that the matter is sub judice, that is, the case is actively before the courts and, the belief is that, any words or acts that are likely to influence the case could invite prosecution for contempt of court.

“As a law abiding party, the APC and the 23 LGA Chairmen will approach the CA with these facts and ensure that Governor Wike and the PDP are not allowed to benefit for their brazen impunity and lawlessness,” he stated.

Hailing RSIEC decision, however, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state said it was ready for the conduct of the local government election in the state. The Chairman of the PDP in the state, Chief Felix Obuah said: “We have long expected democratically elected local government chairmen in the state.

“This is the beginning of the fulfilment of that expectation. We are all happy that the long awaited timetable has been released. Indeed, we expect a free and fair election so that we can elect credible candidates who will represent us in each of the local governments. All this period we have been seeing just caretaker committee chairmen.

Also reacting was the Special Adviser to Governor Nyesom Wike on Inter Party Affairs, Mr. Chris Itamunola, who defended the RSIEC saying that the commission was working in accordance with the provision of the law. He said that there should be no vacuum in the local government administration.”

Wike’s Special Adviser continued: “The reaction of the APC is neither here nor there. Their position has been to always attack. What the RSIEC has done was to fix a date. There can never be a vacuum regarding electoral processes. By the time of the election, three years would have elapsed. Once it is so there would be an election. Let them go and look at the electoral laws.”

Also a Port Harcourt-based lawyer, Mr. H. King stated that RSIEC was free to conduct the local government election if there was no court injunction restraining it from doing so. Mr. King was reacting to arguments from some quarters that RSIEC should not conduct an election when there is a pending case bordering on the local government election in the court.

He said: “It would have been a different case if there was an injunction against conducting an election. I think to conduct an election is better. It will even serve Rivers State better to conduct an election. Even if the case goes against RSIEC, the elected chairmen can still be removed and the judgement of the court carried out.”