The Senate Adhoc Committee on the Emergency Rule in Rivers State has commenced the screening of nominees for the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), with a major point of contention emerging over the nomination of Michael Odey as the chairman of the electoral body.
Odey, a native of Cross River State, came under scrutiny from the panel, chaired by Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, due to his non-indigene status, especially as he hails from the same state as the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Ibok Ekwe Ibas.
While defending his nomination, Odey argued that his appointment does not violate any provisions of the RSIEC enabling law.
“With utmost respect, I have gone through the RSIEC’s enabling law, and there is nothing that precludes the appointment of anybody outside the state as chairman of the electoral management body,” he stated.
However, Senate Leader Bamidele raised concerns, insisting that the committee must consider both the legal framework and the perception such a nomination could create.
“We are also in possession of the law, so make it available to the committee because in my opinion, the Independent National Electoral Commission is about the Federal Republic of Nigeria. When we say State Independent Electoral Commission, it is about that state,” Bamidele said.
He further added that even if the law is silent, the issue raises serious implications.
“This is not a matter we are just going to gloss over. It has to be something we can defend. Even if the law does not prohibit such an appointment, we must ensure it is not repugnant to public conscience.”
The committee is expected to re-examine the RSIEC law to determine if appointing a non-indigene as chairman sets a viable and acceptable precedent for the future.
Other nominees screened for RSIEC membership include Lezaasi Lenee Torbira, Arthur Nwafor, Godfrey Mbudiogha, Joyce Akaniwor, Olive A. Bruce, and Chidi Halliday.
