In a recent appearance on Arise TV’s morning show, human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong emphasized that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is constitutionally obliged to conduct a by-election.
This is to fill the vacancies left by the 26 Rivers State lawmakers initially elected under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Effiong reiterated this perspective during his discussion on the Rivers State political crisis on Arise TV’s morning show. He pointed out that the former governor and current Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Mr Nyesom Wike, is perceived as assuming a god-like role in the conflict.
This perception stems from Wike viewing his successor, Governor Siminialaye Fubara, as having committed ‘political apostasy’ by renouncing his ‘political god.’
Effiong maintained that the ongoing events in the state reflect a larger societal cost for tolerating dictatorial behavior, stressing that Nigerians are now facing the consequences of such tolerance.
On the defection of 26 PDP lawmakers to the APC, Effiong said, “So my postulation is as of today until the court says otherwise: INEC has the constitutional obligation to conduct election” to fill their positions, adding that “Wike is a strong advocate that when you defect you must lose your position.”
He continued, “He (Wike) said so to former Zamfara State Governor, so he cannot be saying a different thing. But politically, what has happened is that Wike is suffering from what I call a ‘chronic god complex’ – he has assumed the position of ‘god’ and as far as he is concerned Fubara has committed political apostasy, having renounced his ‘political god’. Wike sees this as suicidal.”
However, the legal practitioner stated in the final analysis of the crisis that “this is the price that Nigerians have to pay for having tolerance for dictators. Wike was a governor for eight years, he did not tolerate descent, he did not accept contrary views, nobody could talk to him, nobody could make suggestions to Wike as a governor and then after eight years, you made Fubara governor whether by hook or crook, whether legitimate or otherwise and you still want to determine (what goes on).
“Can you imagine Wike came out to say that no single person from Rivers State who is holding an elective position bought a form? That is a scandal and he said it and got away with it. This means that House of Assembly members, he bought forms for them; National Assembly members, he bought forms for them, and Fubara, he bought the form for him.”
“As what,” he questioned, adding that “Rivers State cannot be his property.”
SaharaReporters had reported that as the political crisis in the state deepened, more commissioners in Governor Fubara’s cabinet had resigned in less than 48 hours.
However, those commissioners who tendered their resignation letters to the governor were said to be Wike’s loyalists.
The wave of resignations comes amid the crisis in the state House of Assembly which stemmed from a recent attempt to impeach the governor.
Twenty-seven lawmakers loyal to Wike left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Monday.
But at least one of them later made a U-turn.
The PDP and lawmakers loyal to the state governor have declared their seats vacant and called on the Independent National Electoral Commission to conduct fresh elections to replace them.
The state government also on Wednesday demolished the House of Assembly complex, claiming it was no longer safe for legislative business.
Meanwhile, the pro-Wike faction, during their sitting at the auditorium of the House of Assembly Quarters on Aba Road, Port Harcourt, “resolved to adopt and convert the Auditorium of the House of Assembly Quarters to its hallowed chamber.”
Also, the Chairman of the APC Caretaker Committee in the state, Chief Tony Okocha, in an interview with journalists in Abuja on Thursday, said the demolition of the House of Assembly by Fubara would not stop pro-Wike lawmakers from sitting.
