Rivers LG Election: Jonathan speaks on proliferation of conflicting court orders

Mr Jonathan said the proliferation of court orders is ridiculing the judiciary and destroying democracy.

Former President Goodluck Jonathan said the proliferation of conflicting court orders is ridiculing the judiciary and derailing democracy.

He urged the National Judicial Council (NJC) to curb it.

Mr Jonathan stated this against the backdrop of the conflicting court orders on the conduct of today’s local elections in Rivers State.

“I am calling on the National Judicial Commission (NJC) to take action that will curb the proliferation of court orders and judgments, especially those of concurrent jurisdiction giving conflicting orders.

“This, if not checked, will ridicule the institution of the judiciary and derail our democracy,” Mr Jonathan said in a statement posted on X on Saturday.

Background

The local election in Rivers State had faced a barrage of conflicting court orders from the Federal High Court and the Rivers State High Court.

While the federal court barred INEC from releasing voters register to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) and also barred security agencies from providing security for the election, the state court had empowered RSIEC to conduct the election, citing the Supreme Court Judgment, which barred federal funding for local governments run by appointed officials.

Governor Siminalayi Fubara in the wee hours of Friday accused the police of attempting to “cart away” sensitive materials meant for election at RSIEC headquarters, an allegation the police have denied.

Mr Fubara’s visit to the RSIEC headquarters coincided with the police issuing a statement barring their officers from providing security for the election.

Grace Iringe-Koko, the police spokesperson in Rivers, said the action was in compliance with the Federal High Court order.

Meanwhile, Governor Fubara told reporters that the state government had written a letter to the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and the Office of the National Security Adviser to the President, attaching the Rivers State High Court order which empowered RSIEC to conduct the election.

However, Mr Egbetokun complied with the Federal High Court order and discarded that of Rivers State High Court.

Mr Jonathan, in his statement, warned that “institutions of the state, especially security agencies must refrain from actions that could lead to a breakdown of law and order.

“Rivers State represents the gateway to the Niger Delta and a threat to peace in the state could have huge security implications in the region,” he said.

Rivers crisis

Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, the FCT minister, have been engaged in a protracted fight against each other over the control of the political structure in Rivers.

The political fight between the two has split the state legislature into two factions, and crippled governance in the state.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), a platform on which Mr Fubara was elected governor, boycotted the local elections, in solidarity with Mr Wike, a development that forced Mr Fubara’s allies to contest the election under the Action Peoples Party.

Mr Jonathan, who appeared diplomatic in his statement, did not blame Governor Fubara or Mr Wike for the Rivers political crisis, but cautioned “all political actors in this crisis to be circumspect and patriotic in the pursuit of their political ambition and relevance”.

The former president said, “The political situation in Rivers State, mirrors our past, the crisis of the Old Western Region. I, therefore, warn that Rivers should not be used as crystals that will form the block that will collapse our democracy.”

The happenings in Rivers, the former president said, is a serious concern for everyone, particularly lovers of democracy.

He described elections as the cornerstone of democracy because it is the primary source of legitimacy and allows the citizens to have a say in deciding who governs them.

“Every election is significant, whether at national or sub-national levels as it counts as a gain and honour to democracy,” Mr Jonathan said.