The Senate Ad-hoc Committee on the Emergency Rule in Rivers State has raised concerns over the nomination of Michael Odey, a native of Cross River State, as chairman of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC).
During the screening of nominees, chaired by Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, Odey faced tough questions about his non-indigene status—particularly because he shares the same state of origin as the current Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Ibok Ekwe Ibas.
Defending his nomination, Odey argued that his appointment does not violate the RSIEC enabling law.
“I have carefully reviewed the law establishing RSIEC, and it does not contain any clause that bars the appointment of a non-indigene as chairman,” he stated.
However, Senator Bamidele expressed reservations, warning that the appointment of someone from outside the state could raise serious legal and ethical issues, even if not explicitly prohibited by law.
“We also have the enabling law, so please provide it to the committee,” Bamidele said. “The Independent National Electoral Commission is for the entire country. But when we talk about a State Independent Electoral Commission, it should be about that particular state.”
He emphasized that such an appointment could set a controversial precedent and potentially undermine public trust.
“This isn’t something we can overlook. Even if it’s legally permissible, we must be sure it’s not offensive to the public conscience,” he added.
The committee noted that it would further examine the relevant legal provisions to determine whether Odey’s nomination aligns with the spirit of state-level representation and local legitimacy.
Other nominees screened for membership in the electoral commission include Lezaasi Lenee Torbira, Arthur Nwafor, Godfrey Mbudiogha, Joyce Akaniwor, Olive A. Bruce, and Chidi Halliday.
