Court nullifies Rivers councils polls, chides Amaechi, others

• Plot to bomb judge’s vehicle foiled 

A Federal High Court in Port Harcourt has sacked 22 Rivers State local government chairmen elected under the platform of the All Progressives Congress(APC) in May. Justice Lambo Akanbi nullified the election of the chairmen amid tight security yesterday after the detonation of explosive near the court premises and a fouled attempt to bomb his vehicle.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had in a suit filed in April, prayed the court to declare the conduct of the local government election of May 23, ultra licitum and of no effect.

It also sought an order restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) from releasing the official voters register to Rivers Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) to conduct council election that ushered in the 22 sacked chairmen. The respondents in the suit were: INEC, RSIEC, then Governor Chibuike Amaechi and four others. While delivering judgment on the matter, Justice Akanbi, observed that it was regrettable that despite a court order directing the parties involved in the suit to maintain status quo , the RSIEC and the then Governor Amaechi went ahead to conduct the election in flagrant disregard of a court order.

The judge said RISEC and Amaechi who are both respondents in the suit, were fully aware that the matter was still pending in court, yet they went ahead with the election. He described their action as executive recklessness that warrants the court to evoke its jurisdictional consequential powers to curb executive lawlessness.

According to him, if a court fails to exert its power, it will only loss its dignity and integrity, but will risk being reduced to a toothless dog which can only bark and not bite. Justice Akanbi emphasised that the conduct of the election by the then Amaechi’s administration was lawless, provocative and disregard for the rule of law.

He stressed that the wind of change is blowing through Nigeria and everyone must uphold the principle of the rule of law. He further added that both RSIEC and Amaechi demonstrated by their action that the lack respect for the rule of law and must be made to face the consequences..

The PDP in the suit had argued that the decision of the Amaechi’s administration to conduct the council polls in May contravened the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act..

Meanwhile, scores of security operatives drawn from the army, police, department of state security, and civil defence were deployed to the court premises after an explosive suspected to be dynamite was detonated outside the court premises. An attempt to also bomb a Toyota hilux used by the judge was foiled following the discovery of a lighter under the vehicle with a keg of petrol.

Sources said some persons were arrested at the court premises for questioning. A source in Rivers State Government disclosed to The Guardian that the ruling will pave way for the governor to constitute caretaker committee to preside over council affairs pending the conduct of fresh local government polls. Already members of the newly reconstituted RSIEC will be sworn in by Governor Nyesom Wike, today at the Government House, Port Harcourt.