The Rivers State House of Assembly has issued an arrest warrant for the Chairman of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), Justice Adolphus Enebeli (rtd), following his failure to appear before the Assembly after a 72-hour ultimatum expired.
The arrest warrant was issued during Monday’s plenary session, with the Assembly taking action after Enebeli did not comply with the deadline. The electoral chief had announced August 9, 2025, as the date for conducting a fresh Local Government (LG) election in the state, following a Supreme Court ruling that annulled the October 5, 2024, local government poll in Rivers.
The Amaewhule-led Assembly had promised to investigate Enebeli’s role in the conduct of the annulled LG poll, which led to the issuance of the ultimatum. In a related development, Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara had called for a dialogue with the Assembly members to discuss the implementation of the Supreme Court’s verdict.
The Supreme Court ruling also included an order barring the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Accountant General of the Federation, and other federal agencies from releasing funds to the Rivers State government until it complies with the court’s directives. The court’s judgment, delivered by Justice Emmanuel Akomaye, upheld the legitimacy of the Amaewhule-led Assembly, dismissing an appeal from Governor Fubara. The court ordered Amaewhule to immediately resume sittings with other elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
