2023: Wike’s Ex-Aide Blames INEC For Gov’s Excesses In Rivers

A former Special Adviser to Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike on Media and Publicity, Opunabo Inko-Tariah, has blamed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for keeping silence over Executive Orders 21 and 22 recently issued by the Rivers State governor.

He wondered why INEC, which is the only body authorised by the Electoral Act 2022 and the Nigerian Constitution to regulate political activities, has refused to act over the two Executive Orders, which has limited the activities of political parties in the State.

Inko-Tariah, who spoke with LEADERSHIP in Port Harcourt on Thursday, also wondered why the governor, who claimed to have done well for the people of the State, would be afraid to have his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) face other political parties in the 2023 governorship election in the State.

He said: “What we have in Rivers State is a match of terror, conquest and subjugation by a tyrant, who is averse to opposition, who cannot brook decent and so will stop at nothing to stifle the opposition. That is what is going on.

“He claims he has the pleasant legacies that will qualify his candidate or make his candidate win the forthcoming gubernatorial election. If you actually have those qualities, then, why are you frightened?

“Most of these Executive Orders 21 and 22 are ultra vires of the Electoral Act and the Constitution. Only INEC, going by the Electoral Act and the Constitution has that power to conduct and give guidelines on the conduct of an election, before, during and after. So, these Executive Orders are in conflict with the electoral laws and the constitution.

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“My greatest disappointment is with INEC because we all know who the despot is; talking of Nyesom Ezenwo Wike. We all know that he is a despot. But, it is the duty of INEC, even without anybody reporting to it. In Nigeria, INEC is controlled by human beings. It is not enough to mouth that this is wrong, you should not just mouth it but act it.

“The Electoral Act said the political parties should give at least 10 days notice so that INEC can come to monitor or if there is a conflict; if two political parties chose the same day and there is that conflict, INEC will now know how to resolve that conflict. Never a time the law say we must pay to use a venue.

“Now, look at it this way, it is like a sucking horse, the schools are owned by the state. You apply to use a school two weeks to the time, then on the eve of your rally, the government will now contact you to say we want to use that particular place. The N5 million is non-refundable.

“That is an attempt to politically arficiate the political parties and that is what the governor is doing because the PDP will not even apply. There is no Commissioner, there is no headmistress and there is no principal that will deny the PDP use of any school. None. Once they say it is tomorrow, in fact, tomorrow it will be ready.”