Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, is set to swear in the newly elected local government council chairmen today, Sunday, October 6, 2024
The ceremony will take place at the Executive Council Chambers, Government House, Port Harcourt, at 4 pm.
This was announced in a statement by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Tammy Danagogo, dated October 6, 2024, and made available . The statement requested that the newly elected chairmen, along with one guest each, be seated by 3:30 pm.
The Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), chaired by Justice Adolphus Enebeli (retd.), declared 22 candidates from the Action Peoples Party as winners in the October 5 local government elections. Enebeli, who is also the Chief Electoral Commissioner for the election, stated that the candidates won by securing a majority of valid votes cast in two-thirds of their respective wards across 22 local government areas.
However, the chairmanship results for Etche Local Government Area were withheld due to the area’s large size, which delayed the collation process.
The election was marred by violence in some areas, particularly in Port Harcourt, where suspected political thugs and individuals dressed in police uniforms disrupted the process. At Elekahia Primary School in Port Harcourt City LGA, armed men in 21 Hilux vans fired tear gas, causing RSIEC officials and voters to flee the scene.
Additionally, explosions were reported at the All Progressives Congress (APC) secretariat on Aba Road and at the Obio/Akpor Local Government secretariat. The state police command confirmed that its officers had responded to the incidents and were conducting investigations.
There were also reports of RSIEC officials being absent in Ward 9, Rumueprikom, Obio/Akpor LGA, which is the hometown of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike. Voters in the area reported that no election took place.
Similar incidents of no election were reported in other parts of Obio/Akpor, including NTA Road, Mgbuoba, and Ozuoba communities.
