PORT HARCOURT— Rivers State House of Assembly, yesterday, passed a resolution asking Governor Nyesom Wike to sack members of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, RSIEC and the Rivers State Judicial Service Commission, RSJSC over alleged abuse of their functions.

Speaker of the House, Mr Ikuinyi Ibani, read out the resolutions of the House after members voted in support of it.

He said: “Going by the resolution of this House, we do resolve that the governor of Rivers State, Chief Wike, is hereby given the power to remove the members of the RSJSC from office. This House has resolved that His Excellency, Chief Wike, is hereby given the power to remove the chairman and members of RSIEC over misconduct outlined against them.”

He further ordered the Clerk of the House to immediately convey the resolutions to the governor.

The Speaker said the action of the lawmakers was to further deepen democracy, stressing that members of the affected commissions erred in the discharge of their functions.

“There are certain things you don’t allow to occur, while you hold a position of trust. It is my belief that any decision we take on the floor of this chamber is true and in the best interest of the state. It is not witch-hunting. The documents we have show a different thing. We must deepen democratic values as lawmakers,” he said.

Leader of the House, Martins Amarwhule, who spoke after heads and members of the two commissions who appeared before the lawmakers had been thoroughly quizzed, said that they acted in contrast with the oaths they took.

“Members of the RSJSC went contrary to their oath of office pursuant to Section 201 of the 1999 Constitution as amended, by among other issues, allowing the former state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Worgu Boms, to derail and shut down the judiciary for 356 days.”

Chairman of RSIEC, Professor Augustine Ahiozu, who led five other members of his commission tbefore the lawmakers, said he followed the law in the conduct of the last local government elections.

Secretary of the RSJSC, Mrs Kate Baridor led principal members of her commission to the House.