Jail Term for Electoral Offenders in Rivers

Jail Term for Electoral Offenders in Rivers

GOVERNOR Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State, one of the richest oil and gas-producing states and regional economic headquarters of the South-South zone, is going tough on electoral vices in the state, insisting the era when some persons sit down in Port Harcourt, the state capital, to write election results is gone for good.

Amaechi is arguing that good governance will continue to elude Nigeria if citizens are not allowed to freely choose who they want to govern them.

To drive home his one person one vote campaign, AkanimoReports gathered on Friday that Governor Amaechi has already directed the state Ministry of Justice, to come up with a bill to give legal bite to his electoral crusade.

It was also gathered that legal draftsmen of the ministry are currently working

on a bill that will seek to provide at least, a seven-year for electoral offenders in the state.

When works on the bill are completed, the executive arm of the state government

will send it to the state House of Assembly for necessary legislative action that will eventually amend the existing Local Government Electoral law in the state.

Governor Amaechi had late last October, promised to amend the state local government electoral law, claiming that doing so will help to strenthen the activities of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC).

The governor also said that when operational, the state electoral law being amended, will attract jail term without an option of fine for defaulters.

The coming new law is expected to come into force before March 26, 2011, billed

for local government elections in the state. RSIEC Chairman, Nimi Briggs, a professor and former Vice Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), says council polls will hold in 21 of the 23 local government areas in the state in March 26, 2011 excluding Degema and Ogba\Egbema\Ndoni Local Government Areas.

According to him, the state electoral body, will continue to remain transparent

in the discharge of its duties, pointing out that despite what he described as the ''political instability'' in the state, the commision was able to conduct free and fair election in 2008.

While urging citizens in the state to obey the rules and regulations of the relevant electoral laws to promote and achieve credible polls this coming 2011,

Briggs described the performance during the 2008 council polls as one of their greatest achievements.

Governor Amaechi says he chose Briggs as the RSIEC boss because he is competent

and capable to handle the job. He decried some loose ends in the country's electoral legislation, claiming that it could be one of the reasons for low participation by citizens on political matters and accordingly pleaded with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to ensure that the electorate are allowed to choose who they want

to govern them.

According to Amaechi, ''if credible election is witnessed in 2011, it will reduce election

apathy in 2015 in the country''

ENDS

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