Rivers State Sets October 5 For Local Government Elections, Aiming to Resolve Political Impasse

The Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) has announced local government elections will hold Saturday October 5, 2024, a move that could shape the future of the state’s political and governance trajectory.

The commission disclosed this during Monday’s scheduled stakeholder meeting at the RSIEC headquarters in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

Although it has been reported that at least 26 of 36 states in the Nigerian federation are currently using government-appointed caretaker committees to administer the local government areas in their states, Gov. Siminalayi Fubara has been under pressure to open up the space for democratic competition as a way to resolve the political impasse with godfather and current minister of Nigeria’s federal capital territory, Abuja, Mr. Nyesom Wike.

Both men have been struggling for political control of the state.

Gov Fubara had appointed caretaker committee chairmen for the state’s 23 local government areas after the previous chairmen’s tenure expired on July 17, but that decision was met with opposition from Wike’s camp and a slew of litigations.

Wike’s camp argued that Law No. 2, enacted by the Martins Amaewhule-led House of Assembly, extended their tenure by six months, but the state government rejected such legislation as unconstitutional.

As the legal dispute awaits a final judgment at the Federal High Court, the Nigerian Police have have assumed physical security of all 23 local government secretariats to prevent breakdown of law and order.

Now, all political parties will return to the grassroots to canvass for votes from the people to whom sovereignty belongs.

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