The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has said that Governor Ezebunwo Nyesom Wike lacked the powers to set up a Judicial Commission of Inquiry to probe the administration of former Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi.

This is as the party expressed shock over the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to abruptly close its defence at the on-going Rivers State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abuja.

Speaking to newsmen in Port Harcourt yesterday, secretary, Media and Publicity Committee of the APC, Hon. Godstime Orlukwu, said if Wike was serious about trying Amaechi, he should have dragged him to a constitutionally recognised court of competent jurisdiction.

Orlukwu said, “Now, on the issue of probe; when they set up the commission, Governor Wike called it Judicial Commission of Inquiry. Now, a lot of issues came up as a result of the name of the commission itself. Does he have power to set up Judicial Commission of Inquiry? No. The term judicial, makes whatever name the commission or panel bores irrelevant.

“We know that there are cases decided in court where the judiciary has said the governor does not have power to set up judicial panels, because the power to adjudicate as far as our constitution is concerned rests on the courts. It is not in the hands of government; so, to that extent, our people decided that they will not appear. “Now, fundamentally, whatever the commission does will not make any sense to us.