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The Martin Amaewhule-led Rivers State House of Assembly has berated the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission for refusing to obey the recent judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja, that ordered the stoppage of the conduct of the planned local government elections in the state.
The House, during its 55th legislative sitting of the second session, called on Justice Adolphus Enebeli-led state electoral commission to suspend the LG poll scheduled for Friday.
This was contained in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Thursday by the media aide to the Speaker, Martins Wachukwu, and sent to newsmen.
The 27 lawmakers loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory said the judgment by Justice Peter Lifu was clear as it asked RSIEC to stay action until all relevant provisions of laws relating to the conduct of the local government elections are complied with.
The House stated that the Rivers State Government led by Siminalayi Fubara has become notorious for flagrantly disobeying court orders and judgments.
The House faulted RSIEC’s disregard for the Federal High Court orders when the Chairman of the House Committee on Commissions and Agencies, Barile Nwakor, presented a report on the proposed local government election in the state.
The committee, in its report, stated that “In the performance of its oversight function as directed by Mr. Speaker, with the leave of the House, the committee discovered that the state electoral body is estopped by a Federal High Court order, restraining the body from conducting the planned elections on Saturday, October 5, 2024.
“The committee maintained that its findings further revealed that the Federal High Court order also restrained both the Nigerian Police and the Department of State Services from providing security for the elections, adding that the court was firm in its order that the Independent National Electoral Commission must not release the updated Voters’ Register to RSIEC until it complied with the Sections 13 and 20 of the Law establishing the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission.
“Relying on the findings of the committee, members commented on the report, regretting that it appears the lawlessness of Gov. Fubara is becoming contagious, wondering why a body such as RSIEC, which is a creation of law made by the Rivers State House of Assembly would want to disobey an order of a Federal High Court.
“They said more worrisome is the fact that the state electoral body is headed by a retired Judge of the State High Court, who ought to know better, and wondered why integrity is being jettisoned, adding that as representatives of the people, they would not stand akimbo and watch while the State degenerates into lawlessness,. ”
Speaking on the committee’s report and the judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja, the Speaker expressed his disappointment that under the watch of Fubara, Rivers State is assuming the garb of a Banana Republic.
“The Speaker berated the conduct of Governor Fubara, who went to the RSIEC headquarters to command them to go ahead and conduct the local government election in breach of its own law and in defiance of a subsisting Federal High Court order barring them from proceeding with the elections,” he said.
