Rivers: Senate screens RSIEC nominees, faults inclusion of non-indigene by sole administrator

The Senate Adhoc Committee on the Emergency Rule in Rivers State headed by its Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, on Tuesday, screened nominees for membership of the state’s Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC).

But, some drama ensued when one of the Rivers electoral commission nominees, Dr Michael Ekpai Odey, was discovered to be from Cross River State during the screening.

Odey was nominated to be the chairman of the commission.

Incidentally, he hails from the same state with the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Ibok Ekwe Ibas.

When asked about his state of origin, the nominee responded, “With utmost respect, I have gone through the RSIEC’s enabling law, and there is nothing that precludes an appointment of anybody outside the state as chairman of the electoral management body in the state.”

He was further asked whether he had a copy of the RSIEC Act, and he replied, “No, I don’t have it, but I went through it.”

On the integrity he would be bringing to the local government elections in Rivers State, Odey said, “First and foremost, on character and indigene-ship.”

The nominee added, “ I am not from Rivers State so I don’t know anybody that is going to influence me to do anything otherwise because I will keep to the rules, I keep to the procedures, I will keep to the timelines. I’m going to remain neutral and impartial.

“On agitations for the scrapping of state independent electoral commissions because of compromise.

“Well, this is also tied, in my opinion, to the principle of federalism. So if we are practicing federalism, I think that the sub-nationals should be allowed to handle local government election, because that gives them a sense of independence.

“We agree that this is the closest election to the grassroots. It is very emotive. People are very concerned and there is a tendency for the Governor of the state, arguably so, to control that institution and mortgage its integrity. That is my own opinion.

“It’s a matter of integrity. We should be able to do our jobs, acknowledge any lapses and procedural ineffectiveness and accept that where we err, we will correct it, not to remain in self-denial.

“So I believe that with my presence there as the chairman, the important thing first is the stakeholders’ collaboration.

“From experiences, if you’re operating an opaque electoral process, where the stakeholders are not brought into the electoral value chain, there is a tendency that there will be gaps and rumours, and those gaps are bound to be filled with misinformation.”

Speaking on the issue, Senator Bamidele noted, “We are also in possession of the law. So, make it available to the Committee because in my opinion, the Independent National Electoral Commission is about the Federal Republic of Nigeria. When we say state-independent electoral commission it is about that state.

“This is not a matter we are just going to gloss over and it has to be something that we can defend. We must find that defence as stated in the law even if there is nothing in the law saying you cannot from outside of the state,

“Even if nothing says that, we still will need to look at it to be sure that it’s not something that would be repugnant to public conscience. It has to be something that we’re able to defend.

“So we’ll take a second look at that. Perhaps to eligibility criteria, otherwise, that’s not in doubt. But your appointment as RSIEC has raised a new issue for us to look at that so that will know whether it’s something that can serve as a precedent or not.”

Other nominees screened by the committee were, Mr. Lezaasi Lenee Torbira; Professor (Dr.) Arthur Nwafor; Professor Godfrey Woke Mbudiogha; Professor (Dame) Joyce Akaniwor; Dr. (Mrs.) Olive A. Bruce and Professor Chidi Halliday.

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