- Oko-Jumbo-Led Assembly: “LG Poll Will Hold On October 5”
- Amaewhule-led Assembly: “It Is Illegal To Hold LG Poll On Oct 5”
By Abiola Olawale
The political turmoil facing Rivers State appears to have reached its climax as different dramatic twists and turns as the two factions of the Rivers State House of Assembly are locked in a fierce battle of words over the conduct of the state’s local government election on October 5, 2024.
This is as the faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly led by the Speaker of the House, Rt Hon Victor Oko-Jumbo ordered that the 5th October 2024 Local Government Election be conducted in adherence to the rule of law and subsisting judgments that enabled the exercise.
The faction believed to be loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State pointed out that two court judgements have ruled in favour of the conduct of the local government election.
The Oko-Jumbo-led faction held its plenary at its regular sitting at the Hallowed Chamber of the House of Assembly, Auditorium of the Administrative Block, Rivers State Government House in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
During the plenary, Oko-Jumbo said the 1999 Constitution guides Nigeria, and as stipulated in Section 13, all government bodies, officials and private individuals must adhere to and implement the prevailing principles enshrined therein.
He said: “On the 11th day of July 2024, the Supreme Court in suit No. SC/ CV/ 343/2024 delivered a landmark judgment affirming the financial autonomy of Nigeria’s 774 Local Government Councils.
“In that judgment, the apex court mandated that at all times, there must be a democratically elected local government council in place, mandating all 36 states to comply.”
Oko-Jumbo also referred to the judgment delivered by Justice I. P. C. Igwe on the 4th day of September 2024 in Suit No. PHC/ 2696/CS/2024, wherein it declared: “1) Mandating the Rivers State Government and the Executive Governor of Rivers State, whose constitutional duties as enshrined in Section 7:1 of the 1999 constitution and in line with the Supreme Court judgment of the 11th day of July 2024, to ensure and make adequate provisions for the conduct of the election into the Local Government Councils of Rivers State.
”Mandating the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) to utilize in their custody the national register of voters for the year 2023 general election as compiled by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
” Mandating the Nigerian Police Force, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, the Nigeria Army and any other security agencies to provide adequate security and ensure the maintenance of peace, law and order during and after the elections on the 5th day of October 2024.”
Oko-Jumbo also urged all residents in the State to come out en masse on the 5th of October 2024 to perform their civic duties and vote for the candidates of their choice.
However, the Martin Amaewhule-led Rivers State House of Assembly, during its sitting passed a resolution calling for the suspension of the Local Government Election.
The Amaewhule-led Assembly said a judgment issued by the Federal High Court Abuja had invalidated the conduct of the local government election on October 5.
During the plenary, the factional house believed to be loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike also agreed to immediately transmit its resolution to Register to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) via a ‘strongly worded’ letter.
The New Diplomat reports that this is coming amid palpable tension in Rivers following the raging war and supremacy battle between Fubara of Rivers and Wike, a two-term governor of Rivers State.
The battle has escalated to the upcoming local government election as the two heavyweights fight dirty for control of the grassroots.
It would be recalled also that on September 30, 2024, Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja delivered a ruling barring INEC from releasing the voters’ register to RSIEC due to ongoing legal challenges.
Justice Lifu issued the order while delivering judgment on a suit brought before him by the All Progressives Congress(APC) in Rivers State.
He also held that the Rivers State electoral body violated the provisions of the local government election law by failing to publish the mandatory 90-day notice before fixing the election date.
However, in another ruling, the Federal High Court in Rivers State gave its full judicial nod to the RSIEC to proceed as scheduled with its planned conduct of local government Council election in the State.
The presiding judge, Justice I.P.C. Igwe declared that there’s no going back on the Rivers Local Government election on October 5th as scheduled.
Justice Igwe gave this while ruling on the suit instituted by the Action Peoples Party(APP).
