Politics of Saturday, 2 November 2024

Source: www.legit.ng

Wike vs Fubara: INEC breaks silence on Rivers Assembly crisis

L-R: Nyesom Wike, Siminalayi Fubara L-R: Nyesom Wike, Siminalayi Fubara

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has attributed its silence to the ongoing crisis in the Rivers State House of Assembly to conflicting court judgments on the matter.

The INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, made the clarification while addressing calls for the commission to intervene.

Yakubu stated this while speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting with media executives at INEC headquarters in Abuja on Friday, November 1.

As reported by The Punch, the INEC boss said the seats of 25 pro-Wike lawmakers were declared vacant by three other lawmakers loyal to Fubara and vice versa.

A faction loyal to Rivers Governor Siminalayi Fubara had urged INEC to conduct a by-election to fill the seats of the pro-FCT minister, Nyesom Wike’s lawmakers.

In the same breath, Wike’s faction also declared vacant the seats of members allied with Fubara.

“After that, there was a court judgment from the Rivers High Court as well as the Federal High Court on the legitimacy of each of these groups of lawmakers.

“We at INEC have been following the developments. We do not know what will happen next, and so we are seeking the views of Nigerians, especially legal experts on this.”