Reaction Trails Wike’s New Executive Order, Labour Party Threatens Legal Action

Barely two days after the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike issued another Executive Order (order22) prohibiting political parties from using residential buildings as campaign offices, a reaction has come from the camp of the Labour Party describing the new order as a recipe for “anarchy” in the state.

Naija News reports that the Labour Party has condemned the Order saying Rivers people must not allow the order by the governor to stand.

The party’s South-South National Vice Chairman, Felix Reuben told pressmen yesterday in Port Harcourt that Wike’s executive order 22 is nothing but “draconian.”

Naija News recalls that on Tuesday, 15 November, Wike signed into law new executive order (order 22) that regulates the kind of building political parties can use as campaign offices.

The new order which takes effect from Friday 18 November states that before any residential building can be used as a campaign office, due permission and approval must be obtained from the Rivers State Commissioner for Urban and Physical Planning.

Executive order 22 also banned the indiscriminate posting of campaign flyers, bills, and posters in unauthorized places.

However, in its reaction, Reuben said very soon if nothing is done about the situation, the governor will sign another executive order impounding vehicles with stickers saying permission must be taken from the Ministry of Transport.

Reuben submitted that executive orders have no place in the laws of Nigeria.

He continued saying ”If Rivers State keeps quiet, Wike will put Executive Order 23 which will say for you to sleep with your wife you need to take permission from the Ministry of Women Affairs.

“People ask why he’s doing that, it’s because he has no candidate so he’s jittery.

“It’s very unfortunate that we have a governor that wants to sink the state and I call on the security agencies and INEC to call him to order because what he’s calling for is anarchy in this state.”

The state chairman of the Labour Party, Dienye Pepple also disclosed that the party will explore legal means to challenge Executive Order 22.

Pepple said the party has already tasked its legal team to see how to challenge the order.