The Senate on Tuesday explained why it approved the emergency rule declared by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Rivers State, behind closed doors in conformity with the rules of the Upper Chamber.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, gave the explanation while briefing reporters on the midterm activities of the 10th Senate.
Critics had accused the Red Chamber of secretly voting in support of the Rivers emergency rule instead of giving such approval at open plenary after open voting.
Adaramodu said: :Our Standing Orders say such matters must be debated in closed-door sessions — Rule 131, 132, and 134. Once a decision is reached in a closed session, it cannot be reopened in plenary.
‘Everyone is now a lawmaker, a lawyer, a coach — questioning what they don’t know. But the rules are clear.
‘During the closed session, we debated for three to four hours. Once an agreement is reached, it’s final.
‘The presiding officer then comes back to plenary and puts the question: “Do we affirm what was agreed in the closed session?” Everyone said “Yes”. No one said “No.” That’s where it ends.
Meanwhile the Senate Adhoc Committee on the Emergency Rule in Rivers State, yesterday screened nominees for appointment as chairman and members of the state Electoral Commission.
The Senate also screened nominees into the Rivers State Local Government Service Commission (RSLGSC) and the Rivers State Civil Service Commission (RSCSC).
The seven nominees for appointment as Chairman and members of the Rivers State Electoral Commission (RSIEC) are: Dr. Michael Ekpai Odey (Chairman),
Mr. Lezaasi Lenee Torbira
(Member) Professor Arthur Nwafor (Member), Professor Godfrey Woke Mbudiogha (Member), Professor (Dame) Joyce Akaniwor (Member), Dr. (Mrs.) Olive A. Bruce,c(Member) and Professor Chidi Halliday (Member).
Also the five nominees to occupy the positions of Chairman and Members of the Rivers State Civil Service Commission are Dr. Barikor Livinus Baribuma (Chairman),
Ambassador Lot Peter Egopija (Member), Ms. Maeve Ere-Bestman (Member), Mrs. Joy Obiaju (Member) and Mrs. Charity Lloyd Harry (Member)
In addition, the seven nominees for appointment into the positions of Chairman and Members of the Rivers State Local Government Service Commission include: Mr. Israel N. Amadi (Chairman), Mr. Linus Nwandem (Member), Lady Christabel Ego George-Didia (Member), Dr. Tonye D. Willie Pepple (Member), Barr. Richard U. Ewoh (Member), Rear Admiral Emmanuel Ofik (Rtd) (Member) and Barrister Sammy Apiafi (Member).
The panel chaired by the Leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, however, faulted the nomination of Dr. Michael Ekpai Odey, a non-indigene of Rivers State, as Chairman of the RSIEC.
Odey is from Cross River State, the same state with the Sole Administrator in Rivers State, Ibok Ekwe Ibas.
While responding to a a question that he is not an indigene of Rivers State, the Chairmanship nominee said: ‘With utmost respect, I 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, but I went through it’.
Also asked what integrity he would be bringing to the local government elections in Rivers State, Odey 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.
‘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.
‘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.
‘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’.
On the issue of the nominee being from Cross River State, the chairman of the Adhoc Committee, Senator Bamidele said the panel would take a second look at the nomination.
Bamidele said: ‘We are also in possession of the law. So, make it available to the Committee 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.
‘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’.
