Unease in Rivers as two election agency commissioners quit

Two members of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RISIEC) have resigned their appointments as the effects of the recent judgement of the Supreme Court on the political logjam in the state begin to unravel. Professor Simeon Emenike Weli,Commissioner in charge of Political Parties/monitoring and Dr.Lazbery Nyebuchi Nnah, Commissioner in charge of Budget/Research and Statistics, called it quits on Friday, citing the “unfolding events in the commission” and the Supreme Court’s judgement as reasons for their action.

But Governor Siminalayi Fubara called on the people of the state to keep standing firm on the side of the truth following the ongoing crisis in the state, saying he can feel their support for him. Prof Weli and Dr.Nnah in their identical letters to the chairman of the commission, Justice Adolphus Enebeli (retd) said they decided to resign “in view of the situation in the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) and the recent judgement of the Supreme Court which nullified the October 5th,2024 local government elections conducted by the commission in Rivers State.”

They expressed gratitude to the commission for the opportunity given them to serve. A copy of the letters was sent to the Secretary to the State Government. A five-member panel of the Supreme Court had unanimously held that the election was conducted in violation of relevant laws. It held that there was no evidence that the voters’ registration continued until 90 days before the election and that the requisite notices were issued as required by law. There was no reaction from RSIEC on the development at press time.

The commission has already fixed fresh local government elections for August 9. Some residents are optimistic that the exit of the two RSIEC commissioners will have no effect on the August polls. They are of the view that it would have been a different story if the commission chairman were to resign.

Source: https://thenationonlineng.net/unease-in-rivers-as-two-election-agency-commissioners-quit/

Date: 9MAR25