The Governor of Rivers State His Excellency Siminalayi Joseph Fubara GSSRS has cautioned the Rivers State independent electoral Commission RSIEC to stick to its guidelines, this is coming following several complaint from members of general public
and other political parties due to the unlawful practice of APP that are being permitted by the RSIEC, as the CTC chairmen who have not resigned their appointment are now the candidates of APP in the forthcoming Local Government Council Election contrary to the provision of the Rivers State Local Government Law and the RSIEC guidelines, the concern which the Gov has given attention was the fact that APP screened its candidates after the deadline for the primary election.
It is not hidden that the Rivers State Local Government law and the RSIEC law provides that a person shall not be qualified to contest for the election if he is an employee of the government or person holding a public office unless the person has resigned his appointment 30 days to the date of the election.
Some personal Aides to the Gov who confirmed to Newsmen that the Gov has not endorsed any candidate of the APP are worried that RSIEC is exposing itself to court litigation as judiciary correspondents reports that Political parties have filled actions against RSIEC and APP for contravening the laws, Which action may stall the election if not properly handled.
In a related story, some concern members of the public has drawn the attention of His Excellency, Siminalayi Joseph Fubara GSSRS to tread with caution around the 4 CTC Chairmen candidates of the Ikwerre extraction who through the chairman of APP Mr Sunny Wokekoro an Ikwerre son plan to achieve their Ikwerre agenda as they are secret allies of the FCT minister.
This story may not be far from the truth as the CTC Chairmen of the four Ikwerre speaking local government, Port Harcourt City, Obio Akpor, Ikwerre, and Emohua were told by the Gov of Rivers State not to contest in the 5th October 2024 Rivers State Local Government Council Election as some of them either performed poorly as CTC chairman or affecting by zoning of the chairman position especially the CTC chairman of Emohua LGA who has poorly performed and as well comes from the same zone with Chief Allen Nma, chief Tom Aliezi, Chief Chidi Lloyd, the zone which has taken the office of the chairman of Emohua LGA as their birth right since 2011 till date,
Report from a staff of the Brick house who pleaded anonymous told news correspondents that the 4 CTC Chairmen of the Ikwerre speaking ethnic group were told by the Gov of the state not to contest the election because of the reason given above, only Dr. Darlington the CTC Chairman of Ikwerre was responsible enough to lay down his ambition, while that of Port Harcourt, Obio Akpor and Emohua proceeded to APP to meet their kins man Sunny Wokekoro the state chairman to manipulate the party and RSIEC in their Favour.
Given the abnormally that has occurred, Hon. Kenneth Atata the APP south south zonal vice chairman who was on 92.3 Nigeria info Radio 6:am News on the 23rd September 2024, told the general public to disregard the list of its candidates in public domain as it did not emanate from the party.
Hon. Kenneth who spoke on 92.3 Nigeria Info told the general public to disregard the PURPORTED list of candidates and emphasized that the APP is yet to compile list of its candidates.
It is believed that the chairman of APP was induced to act contrary to the rules and regulations which Kenneth Atata through the national office of the party is trying to cure the situation and save the party from the damage caused by some desperate CTC Chairmen.
According to a source in the Rivers State Government House, the Gov is unhappy with the Commissioner for Local Govt Affairs, Chief Charles Beke who stand to lose his job for making the people of Emohua LGA believe that His Excellency Sir Siminalayi Joseph Fubara GSSRS adopted Chief David Omereji as the candidate of the APP.
Recall that Chief Charles Beke in his resident on Saturday 21st September 2024, conveyed a meeting in his house when the Governor of Rivers State was out of the state, and told the people in the meeting that the Governor directed David Omereji to pick chairmanship form in the APP not minding the legal implications. According to the source, Charles Beke is amongst the Commissioners who have override the Governor and has allowed his personal interest to conflict with the interest of the people of Emohua LGA.
While other Commissioners have kept their interest secret, Chief Charles Beke declared Chief David as his interest in the open, insinuating that the Gov so directed.
Mean while, chief David Omereji has kept for himself the 1500 bags of palliative rice which He received from the federal government to be distributed to the poor citizens of Emohua LGA, from a reliable source, the rice is part of the incentives David Omereji wants to use as campaign tools to buy the vote of the people of Emohua LGA.
According to the report, the Gov is also worried about the abuse of allocation received by the CTC Chairmen particular that of Emohua LGA who has continuously run the local government on failed promises and the Commissioner for Local Govt Affairs is comfortable with it.
From:
Ikennah James
Port Harcourt