THE Senate has taken a swipe at the appointment of a Cross River state indigene, Dr. Michael Ekpai Odey, as the Chairman of the Rivers State Electoral Commission, RSIEC, by the state Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd).

This came up on Tuesday as the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on Oversight of Emergency Rule in Rivers State began the screening of President Bola Tinubu’s nominees for appointment as Chairman and members of RSIEC.

Speaking during the screening exercise, Chairman of the Senate Ad-Hoc Committee on Rivers Emergency Rule and Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, APC, Ekiti Central has vowed that the Committee would carry out a holistic probe into the issue why an indigene from another state is appointed to chair another state’s electoral body and to know whether it is something that can serve as a precedent or not.

The President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio had on Thursday, June 12 read a communication from President Bola Tinubu on his seven nominees to screened to occupy the positions of Chairman and Members of the Rivers State Electoral Commission (RSIEC): Dr. Michael Ekpai Odey (Chairman). The

members are: Mr. Lezaasi Lenee Torbira, Professor (Dr.) Arthur Nwafor, Professor Godfrey Woke Mbudiogha, Professor (Dame) Joyce Akaniwor, Dr. (Mrs.) Olive A. Bruce and Professor Chidi Halliday.

Recall that the Rivers State Sole Administrator hails from Cross River State.

Akpabio thereafter referred the letter to the Bamidele led Committee for further legislative action and report back at plenary in two weeks.

The Senate Leader said: “We are also in possession of the law. So just telling you to make it available to the Committee is a polite way of saying that we need to take a second look at it 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 and this is not a matter we are just going to gloss over and it has to be something that we can defend. We must find that defence as stated in the law even if there is nothing in the law saying you cannot from outside of the state,

“Even if nothing says that, we still will need to look at it to be sure that it’s not something that would be repugnant to public conscience. It has to be something that we’re able to defend. So we’ll take a second look at that. Perhaps to eligibility criteria, otherwise, that’s not in doubt. But your appointment as RSIEC has raised a new issue for us to look at that so that will know whether it’s something that can serve as a precedent or not.”

Earlier when asked on his indigene-ship level as a non indigeneof Rivers State,the nominee for the position of Chairman, RSIEC, Dr. Michael Ekpai Odey said: “With utmost respect, I also have gone through the RSIEC’s enabling law, and there is nothing that precludes an appointment of anybody outside the state as chairman of the electoral management body in the state.”

When asked whether he has the copy of the Rivers State independent electoral commission Act, he said: “No, I don’t have it, I went through it.”

When asked on what integrity he will be bringing to the local government elections in Rivers State, the nominee said, “First and foremost, on character and indigene-ship , I’m not from Rivers state, so I don’t know anybody that is going to influence me to do anything otherwise because I will keep to the rules, I keep to the procedures, I will keep to the timelines. I’m going to remain neutral and impartial.

On agitations for the scrapping of state independent electoral commissions because of compromise, he said: “Well, this is also tied, in my opinion, to the principle of federalism. So if we are practicing federalism, I think that the sub-nationals should be allowed to handle local government election, because that gives them a sense of independence. Yes, we agree that this is the closest election to the grassroots. It is very emotive. People are very concerned and there is a tendency for the Governor of the state, arguably so, to control that institution and mortgage its integrity. That is my own opinion.

“Like I said, it’s a matter of integrity. We should be able to do our jobs, acknowledge any lapses and procedural ineffectiveness and accept that where we err, we will correct it, not to remain in self-denial. So I believe that with my presence there as the chairman, the important thing first is the stakeholders’ collaboration, that you bring them on board, because from experiences, if you’re operating an opaque electoral process, where the stakeholders are not brought into the electoral value chain, there is a tendency that there will be gaps and rumours, and those gaps are bound to be filled with misinformation.

“So I think that it is paramount to me and I will carry all the stakeholders in the electoral process on board and make sure that my planning, my timelines, my procedures are well known to them and the key to that process because if they key into the process, there is that tendency that they will own it and be part of it, they will protect it and they may ultimately accept the outcome. That is my fervent belief.”

The screening of other five (5) Nominees to occupy the positions of Chairman and Members of the Rivers State Civil Service Commission and the seven (7) Nominees to occupy the positions of Chairman and Members of the Rivers State Local Government Service Commission will continue and end next week when the Senate is expected to get the report for consideration.

Appointees to the Civil Service Commission include: Dr. Livinus Bariki – Chairman, Amb. Lot Peter Egopija – Member, Mrs. Maeve Ere Bestman – Member, Mrs. Joy Obiaju – Member, Mrs. Charity Lloyd Harry – Member

Appointees to the Local Government Service Commission are: Mr. Israel N. Amadi – Chairman, Mr. Linus Nwandem – Member, Lady Christabel Ego George Didia – Member, Dr. Tonye Willie D. Pepple – Member, Barr. Richard Ewoh – Member, Rear Admiral Emmanuel Ofik (Rtd) – Member and Dr. Sammy Apiafi – Member. (Vanguard)