- Sitting Begins Tomorrow
By Kolawole Ojebisi
Some allies of the immediate past governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, will have to explain what they know about the violence that erupted and nearly engulfed Rivers state during and immediately after the October 5, 2024 local government elections in the rich oil-producing state..
This is as the Rivers State Judicial Commission of Inquiry set up to look into the post-election violence in the state has summoned the the ex-governor’s loyalists.
This was contained in a statement issued by the Chairman of the Commission, Justice I. R. Minakiri, in Port Harcourt, on Monday.
Among those summoned by the Justice Minakiri-led panel are the immediate past chairman of Ikwerre Local Government Area, Dr Samuel Nwanosike, as well as his counterparts in Eleme and Ahoada East, namely Obarilomate Ollor and Hope Ikiriko, respectively.
The trio served as council chairmen under Wike and completed their tenure under incumbent Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Also summoned is the member representing Eleme Constituency in the state House of Assembly, Aforji Igwe, loyal to the FCT minister.
The panel was set up by the governor after the attack on Ikwerre, Eleme and Emuoha local government secretariats, following the conduct of the local government election.
The statement issued by Rivers State government, summoning a total of 109 persons as witnesses read partly: “Pursuant to the call and receipt of Memoranda by the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into arson, killings and wanton destruction of property at Local Government Council headquarters in Rivers State, the following persons are hereby summoned to appear as scheduled below.”
The panel lists 30th October for witnesses in Ikwerre, November 1, 4 and 5 for those summoned from Eleme and November 6 for witnesses from Khan LGA, respectively.
For the Emuoha council, the statement underlined that the witnesses are to appear before it on November 7, Ohio/Akpor and Ahoada East on November 8, while spillover will be accommodated on November 11, 2024, respectively.
The statement noted that those summoned would have to come along with evidence to clear themselves in connection to the violence that rocked the state shortly after the local government elections.
Those summoned are “To give evidence and or tender document(s) in respect of the inquiry. Therefore, do not fail, as it may be at your peril.
“You are required to bring with you any evidence to establish your case.”
Recall that in the days leading up to the poll, the atmosphere in Rivers State grew increasingly charged after the police announced they would not provide security for the polls, citing a court order.
The Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) was also barred from releasing the voter register to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission( RSIEC) by a similar court injunction.
However, Governor Siminalayi Fubara remained defiant, vowing that the election would proceed as planned.
The police, however, countered the governor’s allegations, explaining that their presence at the RSIEC office was to safeguard the facility.
Despite the tensions, some of the state’s major political parties, including Fubara’s Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) and the All Progressives Congress(APC) did not participate in the election.
The day of the poll also came with its own drama when buildings and other property were shattered in an early explosion that shattered the secretariat of the APC along Aba Road in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital.
The explosion brought down the gate of the secretariat while doors, windows and other property were destroyed.
