The Action People’s Party (APP) has won 22 out of 23 chairmanship positions in the recently concluded local government elections in Rivers State.
This was announced by the Chief Electoral Officer of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), Adolphus Enebeli, in Port Harcourt on Saturday.
However, the results for Etche Local Government Area (LGA) remain pending, as collation is still ongoing. Enebeli confirmed that the results for Etche, along with those for the 319 councillorship seats, will be announced once the collation is complete.
Enebeli praised the election as free, fair, and credible, noting a significant voter turnout across the state. He commended the patriotism of Rivers residents, highlighting that polling units closed promptly at 3 pm.
The election results were observed by key stakeholders, including members of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), electoral body chairpersons from various states, and representatives of the Nigerian Bar Association. Due to “exigencies,” the announcement of results took place at the Ministry of Justice Hall instead of RSIEC’s office on Aba Road.
Despite the smooth conduct of the elections, the day was marred by two early-morning explosions. The first occurred at the All Progressives Congress (APC) secretariat on Aba Road around 3 am. A security guard reported hearing a loud bang and saw three Toyota Hilux vans speeding away from the scene. The blast caused significant damage to the building’s gate and windows, and the security post was set ablaze. A second explosion was reported at the Obio/Akpor Council secretariat at 3:30 am, with witnesses describing similar vehicles speeding past.
Gunfire was also reported in parts of Port Harcourt, specifically near the Wimpy area, close to the residence of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike. Unknown individuals in a black Toyota Corolla were spotted firing shots in the area.
Earlier in the week, tensions rose when members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) protested the election process, demonstrating at the Department of State Security and the Government House in Port Harcourt.
Election Drama and Challenges
Saturday’s declaration marked the end of a tense period leading up to the elections. Following a Federal Government directive for states to conduct local government polls within three months, the Rivers elections faced several hurdles. A court order had barred the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from providing the voter register to RSIEC, while the police had initially refused to provide security for the polls, citing the same court order.
Undeterred, Governor Siminalayi Fubara insisted that the election must proceed. On Friday, he visited the RSIEC office around 1 am, accusing the police of attempting to sabotage the process. “We are prepared,” he declared, calling on the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to ensure the poll went ahead smoothly.
In response, the Rivers State Police Command explained that officers were deployed to protect the RSIEC office from potential arson, not to disrupt the election. “The Police remain committed to maintaining peace and ask residents to act within the law,” a spokesperson said.
Top political parties, including Fubara’s PDP and the APC, did not participate in the election. Despite this, the governor acknowledged the significance of the polls, remarking, “I am the greatest loser because my party is not participating.”
Despite the controversies, the PDP leadership had, on the eve of the election, called on Rivers residents to exercise their voting rights and participate in the polls.
