A prominent Calabar-based attorney, Justice Osai Ahiakwo, has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to organize a new election for the 27 vacant seats in the Rivers State House of Assembly. This initiative follows the defection of lawmakers from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) a week ago.
In an exclusive interview, Ahiakwo emphasized the necessity for concerned parties to formally request INEC to schedule a fresh election in compliance with constitutional provisions and electoral laws.
Ahiakwo also lauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his mediation efforts to de-escalate the Rivers crisis, utilizing alternative dispute-resolution mechanisms to persuade the political contenders to seek an amicable resolution. He commended the President’s proactive steps to mitigate the escalating political tensions in Rivers State, asserting that these actions were not in violation of the Nigerian Constitution’s provisions.
Furthermore, Ahiakwo urged the feuding parties to withdraw all legal disputes in court, underlining that once achieved, the contentious issues would lose grounds for continuing before the judicial system.
In his words, “Our legal system predates our nation’s independence, encompassing diverse aspects of our collective existence. Upon agreement to withdraw cases from the courts, non-litigants lacking legal standing will have no basis for further interference.”
He clarified that no court had issued a final verdict in the pending cases, stating that neither the Rivers State High Court nor the Federal High Court in Abuja had concluded the ongoing litigation related to the political leadership crisis in Rivers State.
Ahiakwo further clarified, “To the best of my legal understanding, there are no definitive court rulings determining the legality of the numerous issues surrounding the political leadership struggle in Rivers State. What some perceive as court judgments are interim orders restraining either the defected lawmakers or the State Governor pending the final resolution of the legal actions before the courts.”
The impassioned plea by Justice Ahiakwo exemplifies the quest for equitable resolution and adherence to legal processes amid the turbulent political landscape in Rivers State.
