The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Wednesday, declared that it will not partake in the local government elections fixed for June by Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, RSIEC.
The party said it will rather go to court to challenge the legality if the elction.
The state APC chairman, Chief Davies Ikanya, while expressing the party’s position at a media briefing , alleged that the RSIEC board which, earlier on Tuesday, fixed the elections for 16th June, 2018, was acting on a 2018 law being challenged in a law court while the last elected Rivers council chairmen and councilors were still in court challenging their sack by Governor Nyesom Wike.
He said: “For the records, there is no vacuum in the local government areas since the tenure of the elected chairmen and councillors has not expired as the matter is subject of litigation before the law court.
“Justice Chukwunenye Uriri, RSIEC chairman, who served as a judge of the state High Court should have known there is no vacuum and accordingly advise Wike to stop putting Rivers on the news again for bad reasons.
“We are not afraid of contesting elections. To participate in this one will amount to promoting an illegality. Also, the RSIEC Law 2018 is a subject of litigation before a Federal High Court between APC v. INEC & Ors. in Suit No: FHC/PH/CS/13/2018.
“It is laughable that RSIEC, as currently empanelled, is engaging in a wild goose chase of conducting an election, which RSIEC as a party is aware is subjudice. Any word or act likely to influence the case could invite prosecution for contempt of court.
“As a law-abiding party, the APC and the 23 council chairmen will approach the Court of Appeal with these facts and ensure that Governor Wike and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, are not allowed to benefit from their brazen impunity and lawlessness.”
RSIEC, while announcing the date for the election had maintained that the tenure of the last elected officials had lapsed, pledging “commitment of the commission to perform its obligations and reflect the aspirations of the electorate.”
