Di political crisis for Rivers state don enta anoda level.
Dis tension dey rise ahead of di local government election we dey happun on Saturday.
For Nigeria politics, anybody wey get control of di local councils na im get upper hand to control di state.
Govnor Sim Fubara and im former oga, Nyesom Wike dey drag who go control di “structure” of di oil rich state for Southern Nigeria.
Di fight for di structure wey start since October 2023 don make di state a center of attraction. Many pipo dey watch how di fight go end.
Di latest in dis crisis na protest by members of di Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) wey dey loyal to oga Wike, wey be di minister of FCT.
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Di PDP members dey para say govnor Fubara still wan go ahead wit di council election depite court order wey say make di election no hold.
Di protesters wey carry placards, tell police and DSS say make dem no allow di Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) do di election.
But di protest dey come as govnor Fubara announce say notin go stop di election.
“Di Supreme Court judgment of 11 July, 2024, effectively outlaw administration of local goment councils wit unelected officers,” di govnor tok for broadcast on Wednesday.
E add say “Following Mr President intervention, di period for compliance wit di Supreme Court judgment bin dey graciously extended by three months, wey go expire on 15 October 2024.
“On di strength of dis positive developments, I direct di Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) to take definite steps to conduct local goment elections for di 23 local goment Councils of Rivers State.”
Counter court orders
Di judiciary don drag enta di kasala between dis two pipo. Since di Fubara-Wike fight start, different pipo especially supporters of di political leaders don file many cases for different courts for Nigeria.
Most of di cases wey dem file na for Federal High court for Abuja and Rivers state high court for Port Harcourt. Some of the cases dey appeal court – even Supreme court don deliver judgement on top anoda mata.
However, different parties don also go court ahead of dis council election.
On 6 Septermber 2024, Justice I.P.C Igwe of di State High court order RSIEC to go ahead wit di election as dem don plan am.
Di court say di council polls dey in line wit Nigeria Constitution and make all di pipo wey dey involved make sure say e happun.
Na on Tuesday anoda order come out from Justice Peter Lifu wey say make di election no hold based on application by group wey say dem dey represent All Progressives Congress (APC).
Justice Lifu of di Federal High court Abuja say “RSIEC don fail to comply wit key provisions of di electoral law, including di requirement to publish a 90-day notice before setting an election date.”
“Make di Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec) no release di certified voters’ register until RSIEC don meet all legal conditions and prohibit RSIEC from accepting or using any register provided by INEC for di election.”
INEC, RSIEC – Two electoral commissions trap for middle
In response to tori say RSIEC dey go ahead wit di election and say dem go use Inec voters register, di federal election body say no be dem give RSIEC di list wey dem wan use for di 5 October local government elections.
Rivers state Resident Electoral Commissioner of Inec, Johnson Alalibo say im dey follow di Federal High Court order from Abuja, wey restrain di commission from releasing di voters register.
Alalibo explain say while RSIEC bin don make a formal request for di voters register, di process neva complete bifor di court order come.
Alalibo add say di voters register currently dey under in di custody of INEC ICT department of di commission.
But RSIEC drag Inec say dem dey lie about di state of di voters register.
Di state commission chairman, Justice Adolphus Enebeli rtd, say di recent judgement of di Supreme Court mandate democratically elected local goment councils across all states to do election, and Rivers State no be exception.
“Dis decision not only be a constitutional requirement but also na necessary step to ensure say di pipo voices dey heard.”
“We go conduct di elections in full compliance wit di RSIEC Law, wey tok say Inec must provide di voters’ register to RSIEC,” e tok.
Na 17 out of di 18 political parties don indicate say dem go invlove for di election, according to di Intra-party advisory council (Ipac) – dem say na only PDP no show interest.
Already, Governor Fubara don declare Thurday and Friday as work free days for Rivers pipo to fit go back village to particapte for di elections.
Di govnor also declare curfew – restriction of movement wey go start on Friday evening till di election go end on Saturday evening.
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