Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has constituted a judicial commission of enquiry to investigate killings, violence and related matters during the December 10 rerun and supplementary elections.
A statement yesterday in Port Harcourt, the state capital, by the governor’s Special Assistant on Electronic Media, Mr Simeon Nwakaudu, said a government announcement by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr Kenneth Kobani, named those in the commission.
It will be chaired by Justice Chinwendu Nwogu; members are Mrs Grace Akpughunum-Okwulehie, Prof O. Okene, Anthony Ozurumba, Rev. Hossanna Nnaewi, Mr C. B. Ekeh, and Mr Alphonso Sibi.
Its terms of reference include: “To investigate the remote and immediate causes of the violence during the December 10 rerun/supplementary elections in Rivers State.
“Identify perpetrators of the various acts of violence and killings in the elections and identify victims of the violence, including those killed.”
‘’To identify if property was damaged and the value of any such property, as well as determine if the violence was localised to specific areas within the state or was statewide, among others.
The panel has one month to submit its findings.
Also, the governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) in last year’s election Dr. Dakuku Peterside has condemned Wike’s judicial commission of enquiry.
Peterside, who is the director-general of Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) yesterday faulted the governor’s “kangaroo” judicial commission of enquiry.
The APC chieftain described it as childish, adding that Wike had no shame, as he continued to ridicule his office.
He said: “Are there no people telling the Rivers governor the truth? Here is a governor who told Rivers people not to attend an investigative panel set up by police to probe issues surrounding the elections and a leaked audio tape that went viral, where the governor threatened INEC officials with death.
“Is it not laughable that the same Rivers governor has now set up a judicial commission of enquiry to probe issues surrounding the elections and he expects Rivers people to obey him? What manner of a governor is Wike?
“How can a responsible governor be urging Rivers people to be lawless? How can such a governor call Rivers people not to obey police investigation and yet expects the same people to obey his own kangaroo judicial commission?
“The same Wike accused the police of seeking to achieve a pre-determined goal in their investigation to nail PDP members. What goal is the Rivers governor seeking to achieve with his judicial commission of enquiry? To exonerate PDP members and pronounce APC members guilty?”
Peterside also said Wike remained an accused in the matter and could not set up an investigative panel.
The APC chieftain described Wike’s action as dead on arrival.
He said: “I call on the Justice Chinwendu Nwogu-led judicial commission of enquiry to be careful not to be used by Wike to achieve a dubious end. We recall the Omereji Panel and what the Rivers governor wanted to use it to achieve. In the end, his evil plan failed.
“Justice Nwogu was, only last month, made a judge by Wike. I hope he is not being used to do the bidding of the Rivers governor and the PDP. My admonition to the judge is that he should know that posterity awaits him, if he allows himself to be used by the Rivers governor.”
According to Wike’s announcement, members of the judicial commission of enquiry are: Mrs. Grace Akpughunum-Okwulehie, Prof. O. V. C. Okene, Sir Anthony Uzoma Ozurumba, Rev. Canon Hossanna Nnaewi, Alphonso Sibi (Chief State Counsel, Secretary) and C. B. Ekeh (Principal State Counsel, Legal Counsel).