Senate Confirms Heads Of Rivers State Electoral Body, Says “Any Nigerian Can Work Anywhere”

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

Despite strident opposition from some  Senators, the Senate, Wednesday, June 25, 2025, proceeded to ratify the nomination of Michael Odey as the Chairman of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, RSIEC.

At the sitting of the Committee of the Whole, the Senate also confirmed  the nomination of members of the State’s Local Government Civil Service Commission, Rivers State Primary Healthcare Management Board, as well as the passage of the state’s 2025 1.48trillion appropriation bill.

The Special Ad-Hoc Committee, headed by the Majority Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, had last week, after openly expressing doubt about the appropriateness and otherwise of appointing a non-Rivers State indigene, gone ahead to recommend Odey from Cross Rivers State, for  confirmation as head of  the RSIEC.

The Committee had cited a non-violation of any known Nigerian laws, including the Constitution, as a major reason for its action.

However, at Wednesday’s session presided over by the Deputy Senate President, Jibril Barau, Senators Abdul Ningi, Ali Ndume, Abba Moro, and others ,vehemently opposed the move to appoint Odey, who is from the same State as the Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral rtd Ibok-Ete Ibas, as the RSIEC Chairman.

The opposing Senators warned against offending  the sensibilities and sentiments of the Rivers State people, despite the State being under an emergency rule.

They separately and collectively cautioned against any move that can potentially worsen the  precarious situation in the State,much so taking into consideration that the state is under an opposition party PDP.

” Are there no qualified people in Rivers State anymore? Let it be on record that ,I Senator Abdul Ningi, stood against this decision even if it will not stop the confirmation, the Bauchi State Senator stated.

Similarly, in his contribution, Senator Moro who is the Minority Leader ,called on the All Progressive Congress APC led Federal Government to thread cautiously on the present situation in Rivers state.

“Rivers is under emergency rule. So this decision raises a lot of questions. The State is ordinarily not under APC .

“Let it be known that we have some concerns about what is going on in Rivers state”, Senator Moro from Benue noted.

However, their objections and fears were dismissed by the Deputy Senate President who insisted that the appointment will stand since it has been established that no law is being contravened .

Citing the case of Abia state where an Edo citizen is the Head of Service, Senator Barau backed an earlier argument by Senator Mohammed Monguno that any Nigerian can constitutionally hold any office in any parts of the country.

“Any Nigerian can be appointed to any position in any State of the country. This right is guaranteed by the Constitution .

“I can even serve as the Governor of Benue Stateif the people of the State elect me to be their Governor”, Moguna stated.

This is as the Senators also approved the State’s 2025 budget.

Following the declaration of emergency rule in the state on March 18,2025 by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, after suspending the Governor, his Deputy and the State Lawmakers for an initial period of six months, the burden of making laws for the good governance of the state now rests on the two chambers of the National Assembly.

The House of Representatives which had earlier okayed the state’s budget is expected to harmonize its position with that of the Senate in the days ahead .

The Senate also confirmed the members of the State’s electoral umpire , that of the Primary Healthcare Management,and the Local Government Service Commission.