By Wariso Wariso
The Rivers state All progressive congress APC, said it will vehemently oppose what they described as “Planned impunity” by the the state Governor, Sir Siminalayi fubara.
Chairman, Rivers state All progressive congress ( APC) Chief Hon Tony Okocha stated this on October 2, 2024, at a media briefing with journalists in port Harcourt, at the APC party secretariat, along Aba Port Harcourt road, Rivers state.
The media briefing which featured the state Apc party executive, also had in attendance members of the All progressive congress in RIvers state.
According to Okocha, Governor Sim fubara is busy procuring fake Judgements from those he described as some legal nonentities in a bid to hurriedly conduct their so called illegal local government council elections which they planned to take place on October 5,2024.
He said,” they procured Boot party and other mushroom political parties to join in the matter before the court. We will not watch the Governor drive the state to lawlessness. We as members of the All progressive congress are ready to contest local government council elections, but not this that we are not part of, Okocha summed up.
He regrets that Sim fubara has defiled several court orders and bent on conducting the local government council elections.
Sir Tony wounded why Governor Sim fubara would visit the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission,( RSIEC) and told the Commission that the local government council elections must hold on the stipulated date, and boasted that no body can stop the election, because, he is the Governor of the state and the Chairman of the Rivers state Independent Electoral Commission RSIEC.
Okocha wondered how such an election that The State Governor said he is the Chairman of RSIEC would look like.
He used the opportunity to call on federal government and the security agencies on the fragrant disobedience of court orders by Sim Fubara, pointing out that the Rivers state Government under Sim fubara do not have respect and regard for court orders.
In his speech, state secretary of APC, Chief Eric Nwibani guestioned under which law the Rivers State Government is operating to hold the local government council elections.
The APC state scribe, however called on Nigerians, the security agencies, individuals to intervene on the matter.
Chief Nwibani said that the Rivers state All progressive congress condemns the proposed local government council elections, because, according to him, it’s against the law, while urging Rivers people to reject the said local government council elections.
Meanwhile the state publicity Secretary of APC, Hon. Chief Chibuike Ikenga noted that there was court judgment that says that the conduct of the local government council elections is improper and that the judgement also barred INEC from releasing the voter registra, and until the voter registra is updated, anything done in the name of local government election is nullity.
He said,” if they go ahead to conduct the local government election, they will defranchise some people” adding that the Rivers state government and RSIEC has the penchant to disobey court judgment.
Ikenga said that the Rivers state government had boasted that nothing will happen and nothing is happening, while urging the judiciary to take positive steps to addressing these acts of lawlessness by the government.
He called on the federal government to intervene in order to ensure that rule of law is obeyed, as one man cannot dictate the decision of the country.