***Warns IGP Egbetokun Against Inciting Chaos

Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Timi Frank, has called on the people of Rivers State to rally behind Governor Siminilaye Fubara to ensure a peaceful and transparent local government election. In a statement released in Abuja on Friday, Frank also issued a stern warning to the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, urging him not to allow the police force to become a tool for causing unrest in Rivers.

Frank accused the police of partisanship and urged the international community to hold IGP Egbetokun responsible for any violence or damage that might arise during the election process.
He expressed concern over what he described as “illegal instructions” being given to the police, allegedly orchestrated by former Rivers State Governor and current FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.

Frank claimed that Wike, who is reportedly using his influence in collaboration with federal authorities, is attempting to derail the election to impose his political allies. He warned that Wike’s alleged plot to disrupt the democratic process is backed by claims that he has the President’s full support to act with impunity in Rivers State.

“The President’s silence on this matter suggests complicity,” Frank said, adding that any breakdown in law and order during the election would be traced back to the actions of the federal government and its agents in the state.

Frank also urged Governor Fubara to assert his authority and ensure that Rivers State does not fall into chaos, as the people of the state have fully backed him. He stressed the importance of maintaining a free and fair election, free from intimidation or interference by external forces.

He further criticized the police for prioritizing Wike’s political interests over the security and wellbeing of Rivers citizens. Frank warned that any conflict in the state could have far-reaching effects on the national economy, given the state’s key role in Nigeria’s oil production.

As a ULMWP Ambassador to East Africa and the Middle East, Timi Frank also called on global leaders and organizations to monitor the situation closely to prevent Rivers State from descending into chaos.

The Federal High Court in Abuja has issued an order preventing the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Governors, National Working Committee (NWC), and Board of Trustees (BoT) from dissolving the party’s executive committees in Rivers State, which are aligned with Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike.

Justice Peter Lifu, in a ruling on an ex-parte application, restrained the PDP from tampering with or replacing the state, local government, and ward leadership of the party in Rivers. This decision follows a case brought by Aaron Chukwuemeka, Oye Fubara Igenewari, and ThankGod Bekee, representing the state, local government, and ward executive committees.

The court also prohibited the party from forming interim committees to take over the functions of the existing leadership, who were elected in congresses held earlier this year. The judge further instructed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to recognize any other leadership apart from the duly elected officials.

The plaintiffs argued that the PDP governors and other officials were making clandestine efforts to dissolve their committees and replace them with interim bodies. Justice Lifu has scheduled the hearing for October 4, 2024, and ordered the plaintiffs to provide indemnity in case the restraining orders are later found to be unjustified.

The Federal High Court in Abuja has thrown out a suit seeking to replace 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly who are aligned with Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The Action People’s Party (APP) had filed the suit, accusing the lawmakers of defecting from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Delivering the judgment, Justice Peter Lifu dismissed the case on several grounds. First, he ruled that the suit was statute-barred, noting that it was filed eight months after the alleged defection took place in December of the previous year, far beyond the 14-day window allowed by law.

Furthermore, Justice Lifu declared that the suit was a clear abuse of court process, highlighting that similar cases involving the same lawmakers had already been resolved by the Federal High Court. He referenced a prior judgment by Justice James Omotosho, delivered in July, which barred the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from declaring the seats of the lawmakers vacant or conducting fresh elections to replace them.

Justice Lifu emphasized that since the previous ruling had neither been appealed nor overturned, it remains binding. He noted that revisiting the case would be akin to “judicial rascality,” as it would involve acting as an appellate court over a decision from the same court.

On these grounds, the court dismissed the suit, marking a legal victory for the 27 lawmakers and reaffirming the previous court’s decision.