When Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike inaugurated an 8-member committee for the reconstituted Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) on Friday, October 23, 2020 with a charge to conduct a credible Local Government Election in the state on April 17, 2021, many traducers and sceptics of the Wike administration did not believe that the exercise would come and go in a free, fair and credible manner.
Governor Wike who performed the ceremony at the Government House Chambers, Port Harcourt, had urged them to take responsibility of conducting a credible poll from the ward to local government level, explaining that the inauguration of the new RSIEC, headed by Justice George Omereji (rtd.) became imperative following the expiration of the tenure of the then Chairman and his Commissioners in July, 2020.
The governor reminded the committee that conducting the election would be a herculean task, amid all kinds of threats and blackmail, but expressed the hope they would succeed with utmost commitment to their duties.
The eight-member electoral committee, with Retired Justice George Omereji as Chairman, took the statutory oath and pledged to discharge their duties without fear or favour and to the best of their abilities.
There was no doubt that the choice of the retired erudite judge of the Rivers State judiciary for the electoral umpire job must have stemmed from decades of meritorious services rendered to Rivers people and society at large.
Picking up the gauntlet, Justice Omereji (rtd.), who is the Chief Electoral Commissioner and his team swung into action with state-wide sensitization visits to stamp the importance of the April 17, 2021 local government election.
On Tuesday, December 1, 2020, they hit Isiokpo, headquarters of Ikwerre Local Government Area, where Omereji addressed political stakeholders.
The RSIEC Chairman who reiterated his commitment to conduct a hitch free poll according to laid down provisions of the electoral laws, urged political parties to play by the rules of the game, as according to him, election was not a do or die affair.
Justice Omereji told the people, “We know that election is very important, because, we know that it is through it we choose our leaders under democracy. When you make a good choice the people will rejoice.
“Election is not a do or die affair. This 5th Commission will make it possible for every local government and political party to participate and we will be fair, just and firm.
“We want to use these three indices to conduct the election, so that you will know that God selected this team. We are going to work to ensure that the election will be credible and fair.”
The erudite retired Justice George Omereji and his team also took time to engage stake holders in the remaining 22 local government areas where he appealed for cooperation of all and sundry to make the election a success.
At a meeting with stakeholders, including security agencies, held at the headquarters of the Commission along Aba Road, Port Harcourt on Tuesday, December 15, 2020, RSIEC officially announced that the local government election would hold on Saturday, April 17, 2021 while also unveiling the Election Timetable and Guideline.
With the three-year tenure of the present Chairmen and Councilors of local government councils in the state which began on June 18, 2018, billed to expire on June 18, 2021, Justice Omereji (rtd.) reassured the stakeholders: “We shall organize and conduct free, fair and credible elections into the 23 local government councils.
“We shall provide equal opportunities/level playing ground to all the registered political parties. We shall be firm, resolute and impartial. We are men and women of proven track record and we have our reputation to protect”.
Justice Omereji who was impressed by the large turnout at the stakeholders’ meeting, urged the people of the state to “come out enmasse to exercise their franchise in a most peaceful and orderly manner devoid of ill-will, rancour and/or violence”.
He said the commission had secured the assurances of all the security agencies in the state towards a violence-free poll in the state. Eighteen registered political parties attended the stakeholders’ meeting and promised to work in harmony with RSIEC.
The quest for a broad-based citizen participation in the April 17 polls became obvious on Tuesday, March 30, 2021 when the Commission recruited and published the list of 20,000 Ad-hoc staffers whose roles in the success of the electoral process remain indispensable.
A copy of the list of successful Ad-hoc staffers made available to National Network also showed engagement of Poll Clerks and Assistant Poll Clerks in all 23 Local Government Areas. The list showed Port Harcourt City Local Government Area with the highest recruitment of 1,806, followed by Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area with 1,097 while Khana and Obio/ Akpor had 933 and 892 staffers respectively. Abua/Odual LGA had the least number with 185.
Principal in the provisions of the RSIEC time table was publication of the political parties, full names and addresses of the candidates, location of polling stations or units and display of voters register at every unit. That was done on April 6, 2021.
Finally, RSIEC announced that 17 political parties would participate in the April 17, 2021 Local Government Election, and went on to publish the parties as follows: African Action Congress, Action Democratic Party, Accord Party, Social Democratic Party, National Rescue Movement and Action Alliance.
Others are Peoples Democratic Party, Labour Party, Zenith Labour Party, Young Progressive Party, Allied Peoples Movement, All Progressives Grand Alliance and African Democratic Congress.
Also participating were New Nigeria Peoples Party, Boot Party, Peoples Redemption Party and Action Peoples Party.
A glean at the list showed that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had the highest contestants with all 23 Chairmanship candidates and 319 Councillorship candidates cleared by the electoral umpire.
Closely following the PDP is Accord Party, fielding 21 Chairmanship candidates and 112 Councillorship candidates. African Action Congress has 20 Chairmanship candidates and 95 Councillorship candidates cleared to contest; while Zenith Labour Party and Social Democratic Party are going to the polls with 20 and 13 Chairmanship candidates respectively.
Details of the list showed that for Councillorship Election – PDP (319); Accord Party (112); African Action Congress (95); Social Democratic (94); Zenith Labour Party (28); New Nigeria Peoples Party (14); Action Democratic Party (13) and Labour Party (11) etc.
Curiously, one of the main opposition parties in the State, All Progressives Congress (APC) was missing in the list, a development which the Chairman of the Commission, Rt. Justice Omereji explained. According to him, the Caretaker Chairman of the party in the State, Isaac Ogbogbula had written to RSIEC informing them of the party’s decision not to take part in the election. National Network however gathered that followers of APC chieftain, Senator Magnus Abe had allegedly insisted on contesting the election.
The time-table also stipulated that Election Campaign would begin on Friday, March 12, 2021 and end at 12 midnight on Thursday, April 15, 2021.
It is worthy of mention that the campaign period of 27 days almost turned out to be a one-man-show with the campaign trains of the PDP candidates traversing the land and breadth of the State. Investigations revealed that the situation stemmed from the absence of the APC in the ballot, and the other political parties could not muzzle up the resources required for elaborate election campaigns.
In most of the campaign grounds visited by National Network, the PDP candidates had a common message to the electorates. Governor Wike’s achievements ‘have spoken’.
Looking back at the compliance level, from the RSIEC and the participating political parties and candidates, kudos must go to the erudite Chairman of the Commission, Retired Justice George Omereji and his team for matching their promises with action as they vigorously ensured every party kept to the rules.
After the election on Saturday, April 17, 2021, the Chairman of RSIEC and Chief Presiding Officer, Justice George Omereji (Rtd) who announced the results on Sunday, April 18, 2021, said PDP won in all the Chairmanship positions as well as the Councillorship seats in the 23 LGAs and 319 Wards respectively, even as Certificates of Return were issued to the winners on Monday, April 19, 2021.
The victorious Peoples Democratic Party Chairmanship candidates include Allwell Ihunda (Port Harcourt City); George Ariolu (Obio/Akpor); Ben Eke (Ahoada East); Vincent Nwaobakata Job (Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni); Thomas Bariere (Khana) and Erastus Awortu (Andoni).
Others are Samuel Nwanosike (Ikwerre); Rowland Sekibo (Akuku-Toru); Hope Ikiriko (Ahoada West); Vincent Nemieboka (Ogu/Bolo); Chidi Lloyd (Emohua); Confidence Deko (Gokana) and Daniel Opelia Daniel (Abua/Odual).
Also announced as Chairmen-elect were Enyiada Cookey-Gam (Opobo/Nkoro); Mbakpone Okpe (Tai); Akuro Tobin (Okrika); Michael John Williams (Degema); Chisom Christian (Omuma); David Irimagha (Bonny); Ollormate Obarilor (Eleme); Obinna Anyanwu (Etche); Okechukwu Akara (Oyigbo) and Onengiye George (Asari Toru).
While presenting Certificates of Return to winners, Rtd. Justice Omereji urged the elected Chairmen and Councilors in the 23 local government areas and 319 Wards in the state, to ensure good governance to the people.
Given the huge accolades that have greeted the successful conduct and result of the April 17, 2021 elections, it becomes imperative to give honour to whom honour is due. For as the saying goes, behind any successful venture, there is a man. The man behind the success of the election is Justice George Omereji (rtd.).
It is equally apposite to note some of the reactions that greeted the success of the polls. Firing the salvo, Governor Nyesom Wike, speaking through his Information and Communications Commissioner, Pastor Paulinus Nsirim, hailed the conduct of the election, saying the success is a confirmation of government’s commitment to deepen democracy at the grassroots.
He also commended the Rtd. Justice Omereji-led RSIEC for a job well done and particularly praised the conducts of all categories of RSIEC staff deployed to drive the process of distribution of all sensitive materials, accreditation of voters to the counting and recording of votes.
The Rivers State chapter of Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), an umbrella body of all registered political parties in Nigeria, also reacted to the just concluded local government polls.
In a press conference held in Port Harcourt on Monday, April 19, 2021, IPAC endorsed the outcome of the April 17, 2021 elections.
According to IPAC: “We have done an overview of the entire election. The election was free, fair and credible”.
The member representing Khana/Gokana in the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Dumnamene Robinson Dekor also lent his voice on the smooth conduct of the election, describing the landslide victory of the PDP as historic and well deserved.
While congratulating the 23 local government Chairmen-elect and 319 Councilors-elect from the PDP for their deserved victories, Rt. Hon. Dum Dekor also applauded the Justice Omereji (rtd)-led RSIEC for doing what he called a ‘Yeoman’s job’, saying he has justified his choice for the electoral umpire.
Also commenting on the April 17, 2021 Local Government Elections, a prominent Royal Father in the State, HRH, Eze, Sir Nwankwo Nwankwo, Eze Ala IX of Umuokobo clan in Ndoki, Oyigbo Local Government Area, Rivers State lauded the Chairman of RSIEC, Rtd. Justice G.O. Omereji for conducting a free, fair, credible and acceptable Local Government elections.
It is no gainsaying that the April 17, 2021 Local Government Election in Rivers State was incontrovertibly successful. It is also undisputable that the erudite retired jurist, Justice Omereji is a prudent manager of resources and unbiased electoral officer.
Hard work, they say, pays! Retired Justice Omereji explicably proved this as the echoes of the April 17, 2021 local government election continues to reverberate. As the winners await inauguration come June 18, 2021, there is no denying that the choice of Justice George Omereji (rtd) was not a fluke as the unbiased umpire has keenly justified his choice for the job.
