Tony Okocha, the Chairman of the Caretaker Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, has called on the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara, to adhere to the constitutional requirement and conduct local government elections.
Okocha made this call during a press briefing following a visit by members of the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) on Thursday.
He emphasized that the tenure of the current Local Government Area (LGA) chairmen is nearing its end, stressing the need for timely elections.
“The APC is prepared to contest the LGA elections,” Okocha stated, highlighting the party’s readiness for the electoral process.
He further added, “I thought that I should also use this opportunity to call on the Rivers State Government to add to the calls that we have made for an election to be conducted because the constitution allows for an election after a certain period of time.”
Okocha reiterated the importance of adhering to the legal provisions for elections, emphasizing the need for adequate notification of parties involved.
He pointed out that the Supreme Court has previously ruled against the use of caretaker arrangements in local governments, calling it an aberration.
“In fact, the Supreme Court has made a pronouncement that the use of caretaker arrangements in local governments is an aberration,” Okocha emphasized.
He expressed the APC’s commitment to participating in the upcoming elections, stating, “We are not going to boycott elections this time around; it was a mistake that was done before, it will never happen again.”
Okocha also expressed confidence in the leadership of RSIEC, led by Adolphus Enebeli, a retired Justice of the Rivers State High Court.
The call by Tony Okocha underscores the growing demand for transparent and timely local government elections in Rivers State, emphasizing the need for adherence to constitutional provisions in the electoral process.
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