Rivers Assembly invites EFCC, ICPC to probe electoral commission’s boss

The Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Martins Amaewhule, has called on Economics and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) chairman.

Amaewhule, who is the Speaker of the Assembly, made the call during the plenary at the Assembly quarters in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, on Wednesday, March 12, 2025.

The Speaker said the RSIEC Chairman, Justice Adolphus Enebeli (rtd), should be investigated for alleged misappropriation of the commission’s fund.

He stated that it is the duty of the Rivers State Assembly, that enacted the state Independent Electoral Commission law and set up the State Independent Electoral Commission, to exercise oversight over it.

Amaewhule noted that Enebeli and the commissioners came before the House of Assembly for screening and confirmation and admitted that they were not going to live above the constitution or the Rivers State’s law.

Amaewhule added: “And it is usually the practice that questions are put forth to them, asking them if they will come before the House when questions are needed to be asked.

“And they also confirmed to us that they will come before the Assembly to answer questions when necessary.

“Today (Wednesday), we are calling on them and they are refusing to honour the summons of this August Assembly.”

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The Speaker said the House is vested with the powers in Section 128 of the state constitution to invite the commission for investigation, for the chairman and members to answer questions put forward to them.

Amaewhule stated that it had become necessary for the House to invite the EFCC and ICPC to assist it, in pursuit of its investigative powers, to find out how funds were spent by the commission.

Amaewhule said the anti-graft agencies should also investigate how public funds were expended by the chairman, who is the chief accounting officer of the commission, in a manner that was unknown to the Assembly.

Amaewhule stated that there was no approval, no budgetary allocation, no appropriation law, and billions of public funds went down the drain in futile actions.

“It’s important that they come and bring themselves forward for this investigation and that’s exactly what this motion has said,” Amaewhule said.

The Star