A Federal High Court in Abuja has declared a 15-member panel
that investigated violations during the December 10, 2016 Rivers State election
rerun as “unconstitutional”.
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, had in January
approached the Court for an order to stop the probe.
In the ex-parte motion by his counsel, Mike Ozekhome
(SAN), Wike prayed the court to “restrain the defendants or their agents
from enforcing or executing matters contained in a letter the IGP wrote to Wike
on December 20, 2016 on the probe”.
In a ruling on Tuesday, the judge, Gabriel Kolawole, said
the composition of the panel was not known to law.
The panel was raised by the Inspector General of Police,
Ibrahim Idris, to probe allegations of violations and violence during the
legislative re-run elections.
Recall that the police panel had indicted23 Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials for their roles in the Rivers
State rerun elections.
The Special Investigation Panel had alsoasked INEC
Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu to release the agency’s administrative secretaries
in Anambra and Plateau states for interrogation.
The police informed INEC of the arrests in two letters to
the chairman by the Chairman of the Special Joint Investigation Panel, DCP
Damian Okoro.
The first letter reads in part: “I write to inform you of
the arrest of the under-listed staff of the commission who served in the 10th
December 2016 Rivers State National/State Legislative re-run elections.
“The names of the officers and present posting are: Ewatade
P. Taiwo (Oyo); Aminu Karimu (Oyo); Adedokun Najeem Ayotunde (Oyo); Balogun
Funmilayo (Oyo); Agams O. Kadiri (Oyo); Akinwande R. Adesoji(Oyo); Lukeman
Olabimpe(Oyo); Tiamiyu R. Arowolo(Oyo); Akinwoye Amodu A (Anambra) and Iro
Abali Mba(Anambra).
“Others are Enuke Patrick(Anambra); Nwosu Oluchi
G.(Anambra); Arukwe Chinelo(Anambra); Henry Owokure(Anambra); Nwoha
Yusuf(Anambra); Hussaina Yahaya Tanko(Plateau); Gayus Hassan(Plateau); Ivase
Stephen Aondona(Plateau); Abdullahi Ogabo(Plateau); Gwatana Jibril Joseph(
Plateau); and Mohammed L. Sittu(Plateau).”
The second letter, which is dated January 16, 2017, states:
“My earlier letter dated 13th January 2017 in respect of the arrest of 21
electoral officers who served as Electoral Officers in the 10th December 2016
Rivers State National/ State Legislative re-run elections refers.
“I wish to inform you that Mrs. Mary Tunkoyo, the electoral
officer at Emohua LGA and Mr. James Ogwuche who served as electoral officer at
Ahoada West LGA are also in custody of the panel.
“More so, in the course of the investigation, the need to
seek certain clarification/information from the Administrative Secretaries of
Anambra and Plateau states has become imperative.
“You are kindly requested to inform and release the two officers
for interview at the Special Joint Investigation Panel at Commissioners Lounge,
Ground Floor, Nigeria Police Force Headquarters, Abuja.”
“The panel is questioning some of those invited.
“One key area of investigation which led to the invitation
of the electoral officers borders on alleged bribery of poll officers,
interference with voting process by politicians and outright snatching of
ballot boxes. These electoral officers are at advantage in giving more insights
into what happened during the re-run elections,” a source said, adding:
“So far, all the officers are innocent until the
investigation panel establishes any case beyond reasonable doubt against them.”
The 15-man panel, headed by DCP Damien Okoro, comprises the police and the
Department of State Services (DSS) with investigative, forensic and technical
experts.”
By Wale Odunsi
