The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has clarified its lack of public response regarding the ongoing crisis in the Rivers State Assembly, attributing it to several conflicting court judgments surrounding the issue.
The crisis escalated when a faction aligned with Governor Siminalayi Fubara urged INEC to conduct a by-election to fill the seats of 25 Assembly members loyal to the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike. This request has led to accusations against INEC of inaction.
At a stakeholders meeting with media executives at INEC’s headquarters in Abuja, Chairman Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu explained that the commission has refrained from conducting the by-election due to the legal complexities arising from multiple court rulings at both state and federal levels. He noted, “The seats of 25 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly were declared vacant by three other members. The 25 members also declared the seats of the three vacant.”
Yakubu elaborated on the uncertainty facing INEC, stating, “After that, there was a court judgment from the Rivers High Court as well as the Federal High Court on the legitimacy of each of these groups of lawmakers. We are following the developments closely and are seeking the views of Nigerians, especially legal experts.”
Regarding future by-elections, Yakubu mentioned that INEC is working on logistics and plans to announce the election dates soon. He indicated that INEC aims to hold by-elections for vacant seats in the House of Representatives due to the recent deaths of members, targeting mid-December for these elections.
This situation in Rivers State remains a focal point of concern, reflecting the complexities of Nigeria’s political landscape amid ongoing tensions between political factions.
