Rivers State Crisis: Federal Government Orders Bayelsa CJ To Swear In Wike As Rivers Governor

The Federal Government has requested the Chief Judge of Bayelsa State to administer the oath of allegiance and oath of office on the Rivers State Governor-elect, Chief Nyesom Wike, on May 29, 2015.

The request was contained in a press statement personally signed and made available to journalists in Abuja by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Adoke (SAN).

Adoke said the request became necessary because of the existing vacuum in the Office of the Chief Judge of Rivers State as well as the Office of the President of the Customary Court of Appeal of the state.

He said the vacuum had made strict compliance with requirements of Section 185(1) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution under which Wike should be sworn in virtually impossible.

The minister said in order to avert a likely constitutional crisis in the state on May 29 when Wike was expected to be sworn in as governor, he had requested the Bayelsa CJ to carry out the exercise in accordance with Section 185 (2) of the 1999 constitution.

He said, “The section provides that the oath of allegiance and the oath of office shall be administered by the Chief Judge of the state or Grand Khadi of the Sharia Court of Appeal of the state, if any, or President of the Customary Court of Appeal of the state, if any, or the person for the time being respectively appointed to exercise the functions of any of those offices in any state.

“The general public, particularly the government and people of Rivers State are hereby invited to take note of this development and appreciate the fact that the invitation extended to the Chief Judge of Bayelsa State to administer the oath of allegiance and oath of office on the governor-elect of Rivers State on May 29, 2015 is in accordance with the constitution and should therefore be respected by all and sundry.”