By Suleiman Anyalewechi
In continuation of its combative posture,the Speaker Martins Amaewfule-led Rivers State House of Assembly, on Monday March 10, 2025, continued to dig deeper into the trenches,with the issuance of an arrest warrant on the Chairman of the State’s Electoral Commission RSIEC, Justice Adolphus Enebeli rtd.
The Lawmakers cited the refusal of the Electoral Umpire Chairman and other members of the Commission to honour their earlier invitation to appear before them as a major reason.
The Source reports that the pro-Wike dominated Legislative body, had last Wednesday March, 5, during plenary directed the RSIEC boss to appear before it within 48 hours to explain some issues bordering on the conduct of the last local council polls in the state on October 5,2024 .
The election which was swept by Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s adopted party ,the Action Peoples Party APP, was, however, nullified by the Supreme Court on February 28, 2025.
The Court directed the conduct of a fresh poll.
At the expiry of the two-day ultimatum on Friday last week, and with the Electoral Umpire Chairman failing to appear, the Lawmakers decided to extend the dateline by 72 hours.
During Plenary on Monday, the legislators decided to invoke their powers to compel the Commission’s Chairman to appear before them.
Relying on the provisions of session 129 (1) (d) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, the Lawmakers resolved to issue a warrant of arrest on the Commission’s Chairman.
The resolution of the House which was read by the Majority Leader, Hon Major Jack, also, expressed surprise at the refusal of the Commission’s Chairman, a retired High Court Judge of the Nigerian Judiciary to honour the House of Assembly’s invitation.
The Speaker had earlier regretted the tendencies by those who were screened and confirmed for appointments to now be shunning invitations by the same body.
The Speaker insisted that Justice Enebeli and other Members of the Electoral body must appear, noting that by virtue of the provisions of session 128 of the Constitution, the House is empowered to inquire into the affairs of Agencies, Commissions and other Government institutions.
According to him, the chairman and other Commissioners must be made to appear and explain how several billions of Naira,public funds allocated to them during the last Cuncil polls were expended.
However, it is not yet certain if the warrant of arrest will be implemented going by some subsisting court cases in that regard.
The RSIEC Chairman and most members of the Commission last week approached the Courts seeking to stop the House of Assembly from summoning them.
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