Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State has announced Thursday and Friday, October 3 and 4, as public holidays to facilitate citizens’ participation in the upcoming Local Government elections, scheduled for Saturday, October 5, 2024.
In a statewide address on Wednesday, the governor reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to uphold Nigeria’s Constitution, adhere to the rule of law, and promote democratic governance.
Fubara emphasized that conducting the local government elections was a legal obligation following a Supreme Court ruling, which mandates that no state government should run its local councils with unelected officials. Failure to comply would violate the court’s directive and result in the suspension of statutory allocations to local governments in the state.
To ensure a smooth and inclusive election process, the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) has received all necessary resources from the state government. The governor also ordered a restriction on vehicular movement from midnight on Friday, October 4, until 5:00 p.m. on Election Day, urging all residents to journey to their communities to cast their votes.
Governor Fubara assured that security personnel would be deployed across the state to maintain peace during the election, with law enforcement prepared to enforce the movement restrictions and arrest any violators. He encouraged all eligible voters to participate, stressing that the state was fully prepared to deliver a free, fair, and credible election.
Fubara’s declaration follows the expiration of the tenure of the previous local government council officials in June 2023, and the subsequent legal mandates that pushed for the election.
