Nigeria, June 26 -- Senators were divided on Wednesday regarding the appointment of a non-indigene as chairperson of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC).

The debate began during plenary after Opeyemi Bamidele, Chairperson of the Senate ad hoc committee on the emergency rule, presented a report on the screening of nominees appointed by President Bola Tinubu to serve as public officials in Rivers State, including the nominee for chairman of the RSIEC.

In the report, Mr Bamidele, also the senate leader, named Michael Odey, a native of Cross River State, as the nominee for chairman of the electoral commission.

The Sole Administrator, Ibok-Ete Ibas, also hails from Cross River State.

Mr Odey was nominated alongside si...