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Court Orders RSIEC To Use 2023 Voters’ Register For LG Polls In Rivers …Mandates Police, Others To Provide Adequate Security During, After LG Polls

A Rivers State High Court has ordered the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) to conduct elections on October 5 to elect democratically elected officials into the 23 Local Government Councils in the State.
The court, presided over by Justice I. P. C. Igwe, in Port Harcourt, gave the order in its final judgment on the matter in SUIT NO. PHC/2696/CS/2024, between the Action Peoples Party (APP) as claimant, and the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), Rivers State Government and Governor of Rivers State as defendants.
A certified true copy of the judgment, reads: :Upon this matter coming up before Honourable Justice I. P. C. Igwe sitting at High Court 14, Port Harcourt for Hearing and Determination and After Hearing A. E. Godswill Esq, for the Claimant, holding the brief of E. D. A. Ojoko Esq, and Lois C. Oko Jaja Esq, for the 1st Defendant, P. Enebeli, Assistant Director Ministry of Justice, appearing for the 2nd and 3rd Defendants, it is hereby Ordered as follows: That upon the construction of Section 7 subsection 1 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (CFRN) 1999 as amended, the 2nd and 3rd Defendants are bound to make provision for election into the Local Government Councils of Rivers State and to ensure that the affairs of the Local Government Councils in Rivers State are conducted by Democratically elected Local Government Councils.’
The final court judgment also said, “That in view of Section 7 subsection 1, Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (CFRN) 1999 AS AMENDED, Section 5 (A) of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission Law – No 2 of 2018, the Decision of the Supreme Court of Nigeria Delivered on the 11th day of July, 2024 in Suit No SC/CV/343/2024: Attorney-General of Federation Vs Attorney-General of Abia State and 35 Ors and expiration of the tenure of the former democratically elected Local Government Councils in Rivers State on the 17th day of June, 2024, the Defendants are bound to conduct Election into the Local Government Councils in Rivers State within the shortest possible time in order to comply with aforesaid Judgment of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
“That it is further declared chat in view of Section 5 (a) of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission Law No 2 of 2018, Section 9(1)(a) (4) to (6) of the Electoral Act, 2022 and the exigencies of the decision of the Supreme Court of Nigeria delivered on the 11th day of July, 2024 in Suit No SC/CV/343/2024: Attorney-General of the Federation VS Attorney-General of Abia State & 35 Ors, the 1st Defendant is entitled to utilize the National Register of Voters for the 2023 General Elections compiled by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) pursuant to Section 9(1)(a) (4) to (6) of the Electoral Act, 2022, already in custody of the 1st Defendant to conduct Election into the 23 Local Government Councils of Rivers State.
“That it is also declared that in view of the decision of the Federal Government of Nigeria following the said Judgment in Suit No SC/CV/343/2024 Delivered on the 11th day of July, 2024 to the effect that all states without Democratically elected Local Government Councils in place should conduct Elections into their respective Local Government Councils within three (3) months from the date of the aforesaid Judgment of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, the defendants are bound to conduct elections into Local Government Councils in Rivers State on or before the expiration of the said three (3) months period, on the 5th day of October, 2024 and to take all necessary steps towards the conduct of the said Election, including sale of forms to candidates and their parties including the Claimant who is interested in sponsoring candidates for offices in the Local Government Councils”.
The court further said, “That an order of mandatory Injunction be and is hereby issued compelling the 2nd and 3rd Defendant by themselves, or by their agents, privies, servants or representatives and proxies to make adequate provision for election into the Local Government Council in Rivers State and to ensure that the affairs of the Local Government Councils in Rivers State are Conducted by Democratically Elected Local Government Councils.
“That it is further ordered that mandatory injunction be and is hereby issued compelling the 1st Defendant to conduct election into Local Government Councils of Rivers State on the 5th Day of October, 2024 or on any other date fixed by the 1st Defendant in accordance with its Electoral Guidelines in order to comply with the aforesaid Judgment of the Supreme Court of Nigeria and to take all necessary steps towards the conduct of the said Elections including sale of forms to candidates and their parties, Including the Claimant who is interested in sponsoring candidates for offices in the Local Government Councils.
“That an order of mandatory injunction be and is hereby further issued directing or commanding the 1st Defendant to utilize the National Register of Voters for the 2023 General Election compiled by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) pursuant to Section 9 (1)(a), (4) to (6) of the Electoral Act, 2022 to conduct Election into the twenty-three (23) Local Government Councils of Rivers State.
“That the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, the Nigeria Army and all other Security Agencies and Paramilitary Organizations are hereby ordered to provide adequate security and ensure maintenance of peace, law and order during and after the Election”, the court ruled.
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I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
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RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others

Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
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Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman

The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.