President Tinubu Lacks Power to Appoint RSIEC Officials, Civil Rights Group Warns

The Center for Reform and Public Advocacy (CRPA) has challenged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s authority to nominate officials to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), urging the Senate to reject his picks for chairman and commission members.

In a letter delivered to Senate President Godswill Akpabio on June 17, the Abuja‑based advocacy group argued that, under sections 197 and 198 of the 1999 Constitution, only the governor of a state may appoint the RSIEC chair and its members, subject to confirmation by the state House of Assembly. The CRPA noted that the current RSIEC’s tenure has not yet expired and that no vacancies exist.

“We respectfully wish to bring to your notice that there is no vacancy at the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission,” wrote Barrister Kalu Agu Kalu, head of CRPA’s Legal Unit. “It is unlawful and illegal for President Tinubu to have sought to appoint electoral officers for the purpose of conducting local government elections in Rivers State.”

The group pointed out that the RSIEC was duly constituted and recently conducted local government polls on October 5, 2024—a process subsequently nullified by the Supreme Court. They further cited section 201 of the Constitution, which details the removal procedures for commission members, to underscore that their terms remain in force and no resignation letters have been tendered.

Warning of imminent litigation, CRPA demanded that the Senate halt confirmation proceedings within two days of the letter’s receipt. “In the event you fail to heed our demand, we shall approach the court for an order of injunction restraining you from going on with the process of confirming the said nominees,” the letter stated, describing any approval as “unconstitutional, illegal, unlawful and an affront to the tenets of democracy.”

CRPA called on the Senate to follow “wise counsel” and avoid unnecessary legal battles and the resultant drain on public funds. As of this report, the Senate has not indicated when it will consider the president’s nominees.