*Rivers political events mirror past crisis in western region, Jonathan warns. *APC, PDP factions fail to stop elections&Explosions rock Rivers APC secretariat, Obio/Akpor LG council
The Action Peoples Party (APP) was yesterday declared winner of 22 chairmanship seats in Rivers State as Governor Siminalayi Fubara defied all odds and conducted local government elections, despite protests by members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC), and the refusal of the police to provide security, citing a ruling by the Federal High Court.
This is coming as former President Goodluck Jonathan compared the current political crisis in Rivers State to the crisis of the old Western region and called on security agencies to wade into the political situation in the state to forestall a breakdown of law and order.
The supporters of APC and PDP loyal to the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike embarked on massive protests in an unsuccessful effort to stop yesterday’s LG elections in the state.
However, there were reported incidents of explosions at the state secretariat of the APC in Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor LG council, just as the results of Etche LGA chairmanship seat, and the 319 councillorship positions across the state were still being collated by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC).
Before the elections, the APC in the state, which boycotted the polls, had secured a judgment from a Federal High Court in Abuja restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from releasing voters’ registers to the RSIEC.The judgment also restrained the Inspector General of Police (IG), Kayode Egbetokun, from providing security for the elections.
But citing a judgment of the Supreme Court, which ordered that democratically-elected officials must govern all the local governments in the country and a judgment of the Rivers State High Court, Fubara insisted that the elections must hold, with or without the police providing security. Though the police did not provide security, the elections were held in a largely peaceful atmosphere.
However, members of the APC and PDP loyal to the FCT minister, Wike, embarked on massive protests in an unsuccessful effort to stop the elections.Some protesters marched from the popular Rumuola axis of Port Harcourt to the office of the RSIEC, chanting that the election should not be held.
At the front of the RSIEC office, THISDAY sighted over 20 police vans, three Armoured Personnel Carriers (APC), and a vehicle belonging to the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) but election materials had been moved to the various wards for the elections.
Announcing the results yesterday evening, the Chairman of the FRSC, Justice Adolphus Enebeli, said after collating the results, APP scored the majority of the valid votes in all the wards in the 22 LGAs.
Justice Enebeli explained that the result of the chairmanship position for Etche LGA was stood down by the commission because of its expansive landscape with its 19 wards, which slowed down the collation process.Justice Enebeli, who is also the Chief Electoral Commissioner for the election, declared the results in Port Harcourt.
The results declaration was witnessed by members of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) from 18 political parties, leaders of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), civil society groups, returning officers, journalists, and other key stakeholders.
Justice Enebeli stated that the polls, which closed at 3 p.m., witnessed a large turnout of voters who defiled the rain.
He emphasised that the results of the Etche LGA chairmanship seat, and the 319 councillorship positions across the state would be announced in due course after the entire collation process has been concluded.
RSIEC Chairman stated that the election was conducted in all 6,866 units in the 319 political wards with 18 out of 19 political parties participating.
He said: “It is, therefore, heartwarming that I stand before you all today to affirm the smooth, safe, free, fair, credible and transparent, all-inclusive, successful, violence-free, and most treasured conduct of the 2024 Rivers State Local Government Council election despite all odds.”
He added: “Polls were closed across the state by 3 pm today. Before then, there was a large turnout of enthusiastic citizens who came out to exercise their franchise even amid the heavy downpour witnessed this morning.“
In keeping with extant regulations, the commission displayed the register of voters in all the 6,866 polling units of the state while political parties embarked on campaigns to canvass votes from their supporters,” he added.
Justice Enebeli explained that the elections were conducted based on the Supreme Court judgment of July 11, 2024, and the judgment of Justice IPC Igwe of Rivers State High Court.
Justice Enebeli also declared the names of the winners for the 22 chairmanship positions.When THISDAY visited some of the Units and Wards in parts of the state, it was observed that voting, which started at about 8 a.m., ended in some areas at 10 a.m., while others concluded their voting at about noon.
However, at Obio/Akpor LGA, where the FCT minister hails from the election had not started in the area when THISDAY visited but in parts of the riverine areas, elections were held peacefully, and voters participated actively.
In Port Harcourt, elections were peaceful in most of the areas visited, but in the Ogbunabali area, it was observed that some persons who did not support the election, attacked voters and destroyed election materials.
Also, at Wards 19 Elekahia, voters claimed that some men in police uniforms invaded the polling unit, destroyed electoral materials, and obstructed the voting process.At Asari-Toru Ward 14, election materials arrived at about 8 a.m. and the voting process commenced immediately.
Rivers Political Events Mirror Past Crisis in Western Region, Jonathan Warns
In a statement issued yesterday, Jonathan said the tension in Rivers State poses a significant threat to peace and stability, not only within the state but also across Niger Delta.
Jonathan said conflicting court orders issued by courts of concurrent jurisdictions were part of the issues hampering democracy.He said if not checked, the situation could derail Nigeria’s democracy and cause ridicule for the judiciary.
He said: “The political happenings in Rivers State in the past days is a cause for serious concern for everyone, especially lovers of democracy and all actors within the peace and security sector of our nation.”He described political election processes as the cornerstone of democracy because they give the people an opportunity to choose their leaders.
He stated: “Elections are the cornerstone of democracy because they are the primary source of legitimacy. This process renews the faith of citizens in their country as it allows them to have a say in who governs them.
“Every election is significant, whether at national or sub-national levels as it counts as a gain and honour to democracy. It is the responsibility of all stakeholders, especially state institutions, to work towards the promotion of a sound democratic culture of which periodic election stands as a noble virtue.
“Democracy is our collective asset; its growth and progress are dependent on government commitment to uphold the rule of law and pursue the interest of peace and justice at all times. Institutions of the state, especially security agencies must refrain from actions that could lead to breakdown of law and order.” Speaking further, he emphasised that being the gateway to the Niger Delta, a threat to the Rivers State’s peace poses serious security implications to the region.
He added: “Rivers State represents the gateway to the Niger Delta and threat to peace in the state could have huge security implications in the region. Let me sound a note of caution to all political actors in this crisis to be circumspect and patriotic in the pursuit of their political ambition and relevance.”He, therefore, called on the NJC to take action to forestall a proliferation of court orders.
“I am calling on the National Judicial Commission to take action that will curb the proliferation of court orders and judgments, especially those of concurrent jurisdiction giving conflicting orders. This, if not checked, will ridicule the institution of the judiciary and derail our democracy.“
The political situation in Rivers State, mirrors our past, the crisis of the Old Western Region. I, therefore, warn that Rivers should not be used as crystals that will form the block that will collapse our democracy. State institutions especially the police and the judiciary and all other stakeholders must always work for public interest and promote common good such as peace, justice, and equality,” he concluded.
Explosions Rock Rivers APC Secretariat, Obio/Akpor LG council
Meanwhile, there were reported incidents of explosions at the state secretariat of the APC and Obio/Akpor LG council.Reacting to the explosion at the party’s secretariat along Aba Road in Port Harcourt, the Chairman of the Caretaker
Committee of the party in the state, Mr. Tony Okocha urged the federal government to save them from the continuous attack.
Confirming the two explosions, the spokesperson of the Rivers State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko said the command had commenced an investigation into the explosions that occurred at the secretariat of the (APC) at 3 am, and another explosion at the Obio/Akpor LG council in the state, which occurred at 3.30 am.
Iringe-Koko disclosed that the perpetrators of both incidents came in a Toyota Hilux, adding that the command had deployed an Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) and Anti-Bomb Squad to the incident scene.
Atiku Justifies LG Elections, Insists it’s in line with Supreme Court JudgmentMeanwhile, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, yesterday threw his weight behind the Rivers State LG elections, saying they were in line with the Supreme Court’s judgment ordering all local governments in Nigeria to hold their elections.
THISDAY
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