The All Progressive Congress (APC) has announced that it will not participate in the planned local council elections scheduled for June 16, 2018. The Chairman of the APC in Rivers State, Davies Ikanya made the announcement at a press briefing on Wednesday.
Mr. Ikanya said the party considers RSIEC and its decision to conduct the local council elections unconstitutional and a contempt to court processes. The chairman gave several reasons for the party’s decision. He said the issue about the tenure of the chairmen elected under the All Progressive congress in 2015 can only be determined by the court, and that the vacuum claimed by the RSIEC chair does not exist as there are caretaker committee chairmen heading the affairs of the local areas.
“The issue about the leadership of the local Governments is a matter before the courts of the land, and for a retired judge to claim that there is a vacuum is not only unprofessional but smacks of bias, and calls to question, his independence to head such a hallowed institution as RSIEC.
“The constitutionality of RSIEC law 2018 which the RSIEC chairman relied on, is a subject of litigation between APC, INEC and others, and it is just laughable that RSIEC as currently empanelled, is engaging in a wild goose chase of conducting an election.”
The Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) announced the timetable for the conduct of the local council elections in the state. Although the PDP received the news with optimism, the Rivers State chapter of the APC protested the decision at the announcement on Wednesday.
Credit: Touch PH
