A long shadow has been cast on the controversial Rivers State Local Government Election scheduled for Saturday, October 5, 2024, as a group of renegade Nigerian police officers allegedly attempted to cart away sensitive election materials from the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) office in Port Harcourt in the early morning hours of Friday, October 4.
The effort was reportedly foiled by the timely intervention of the governor of the state himself, Gov. Siminalayi Fubara, and his team when they arrived at the RSIEC office after being alerted by vigilant security officials.
The governor addressed the press and angrily accused the police of attempting to destabilize the state.
The local government election is viewed as a crucial step in resolving the political struggle in the state between forces loyal to Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, who is now the Minister in charge of Nigeria’s capital city of Abuja.
In response to the incident, key political figures, including members of the Rivers State and National Assemblies, are now stationed at the RSIEC office to ensure that elections proceed as planned.
The Rivers State Police Command stated they are under a restraining order from a court not to provide security during the elections.
Gov. Fubara says the state has the internal mechanism and capacity to ensure security during the election.
Equally angry protesters also stormed the RSIEC office early Friday morning, chanting “Election Must Hold“.
Governor Fubara had expressed regret that although his party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), will not participate in the election, the election needs to be held as planned in compliance with federal directives on local government autonomy.
Contestants in the election loyal to the governor are rumored to have switched to the All Peoples Party (APP) from where they will contest after the governor lost control of the party structures to his predecessor.
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