Intrigue Begins, As Delta Council Polls May Not Hold Over Imminent Court Order

Indications have emerged that the proposed local government election in Delta State may not hold after all.

The proposed election, if eventually held may likely be a subject of litigation.

In preparation for the “election”, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa on Monday swore in members of the newly constituted board of the Delta State Independent Electoral Commission, DSIEC.

The board was reconstituted after the passage of the new DSIEC law (as amended) by the Delta State House of Assembly and assented to few days ago by Governor Okowa.

However, before the swearing in ceremony held at Government House Asaba on Monday, the group, Delta Stakeholders Group which had last week faulted the new electoral law and vowed to challenge it, warned aspirants of imminent court order to stop the polls.

The Delta Stakeholders Group (DSG), on Monday warned of imminent court order to stop the local government polls, saying that they are presently consulting with intending aspirants for the local government elections, various interest groups, civil society organisations, and notable democrats from Delta State on the incurably defective Delta State Independent Electoral Commission (DSIEC) Law 2017.

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The group, envisaging that the state government may likely go ahead with the election despite the warning, maintain that like what happened in Osun State in 2009, whoever is declared a winner of any LGA election on the basis of the DSIEC Law will lose his position if the law is declared constitutionally defective, null and void.

A statement by Prince Henry Efe Duku
(Public Communication & Strategy) on behalf of DSG read in full:

“The Delta Stakeholders Group (DSG) is presently consulting with intending aspirants for LGA elections, various interest groups, civil society organisations, and notable democrats from Delta State on the incurably defective Delta State Independent Electoral Commission (DSIEC) Law 2017.

DSG is working actively with these persons and bodies on legal steps to nullify EVERY provision of the DSIEC Law 2017 that offends or conflicts with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) and other extant legislations enacted by the National Assembly.

This is the minimum we owe democracy as a painstaking process that guarantees the Rule of Law rather than the Rule of Man. We refuse to accept the ‘Rule of Okowa’ which is nothing but a creeping dictatorship that must be resisted and curtailed.

Also, we will not allow the participatory docility of some opposition political elements with mercantile mindsets to quietly help Okowa realise his crude agenda in our State. That will not happen.

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To these extents, may we strongly advise ALL aspirants for the LGA elections being contemplated by the Delta State Government and political parties to note that a large portion of the DSIEC Law will be most likely struck down by the Courts for being unconstitutional, null and void. Any such judicial decision will negatively impact their participation in the elections.

As it happened in Osun State in 2009, whoever is declared a winner of any LGA election on the basis of the DSIEC Law will lose his position if the law is declared constitutionally defective, null and void.

DSG believes that such ‘winners’ should also be made to refund whatever public monies they may have received while ‘serving’ and this is because nobody ought to be allowed to benefit from an illegality. All aspirants should therefore take note and be well guided. Now, the battle begins!”

Meanwhile, BigPen Online learnt from a top Government House source that the “flaw DSIEC law” orchestrated by Executive Bill was designed to frustrate the election in order for the Governor to resort to appointing caretaker Committee for the Councils till 2018 when all will set for the Councils elections.

The plan was hatch in a way that it would appear the stoppage of the elections came from disgruntled elements and opposition party.

Already, the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP may have “selected” those to be announce to run the affairs of the councils pending when elections are conducted by DSIEC.

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The “selection” allegedly followed a meeting held between Governor Okowa, and his predecessors, Chief James Ibori and Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan at Ibori’s Country home, Oghara last week where they trio reportedly agreed on the slots.

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