Explosions, gunshots, thuggery mar LG poll in Rivers – Report

The Chairman of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, Justice Adolphus Enebeli (retd.), has declared 22 chairmanship candidates of the Action Peoples Party winners of the October 5, 2024 local government elections in the state.

He said the candidates, after collation of results, scored majority of valid votes cast in two-thirds of their respective wards in the 22 LGAs.

Enebeli added that the result of the chairmanship position for Etche LGA was stood down by the commission because of its expansive landscape with 19 wards, which slowed down the collation process.

Justice Enebeli, who is also the Chief Electoral Commissioner for the election, declared the results in Port Harcourt on Saturday.

Sunday PUNCH reported that the results declaration was witnessed by members of the Inter-Party Advisory Council from 18 political parties, leaders of the Nigerian Bar Association, civil society groups, returning officers, journalists and other stakeholders.

The RSIEC chairman stated that the polls closed at 3pm and witnessed a large turnout of voters who defied the rain, adding that thereafter, the results started trickling in.

He stated, “It is, therefore, heartwarming that I stand before you all today to affirm the smooth, safe, free, fair, credible and transparent, all-inclusive, successful, violence-free and most treasured conduct of the 2024 Rivers State Local Government Council election despite all odds.”

Fubara’s loyalists commend poll

Speaking to journalists after casting his vote at Ward 10 in Port Harcourt LGA, a former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Austin Okpara, congratulated the state for “a peaceful outing.”

He said, “The turnout was good. Those who boycotted did so for what I would classify as selfish reasons because you do not want elections to hold in Rivers State. The Federal Government, and by the Supreme Court’s pronouncement, had stated that at the end of this month (October), any local council that is not democratically elected would not receive their funds and other resources. So, it means that if this election does not hold, Rivers State at the local government level will not receive their allocation. Then, you do not wish Rivers well.

“The thousands of people that work at that level, the families that depend on them, how will they survive? So, indeed those who don’t want the election to hold are the true enemies of Rivers State. But thank God both Rivers people and residents turned out, at least with what I have followed.”

Our correspondent noted that almost all the frontline candidates who were hitherto members of the PDP later emerged as candidates of the APP in the 23 local government areas of the state.

The APP candidate in Obio/Akpor LGA, Chijioke Ihunwo, shortly after casting his vote in Ward 1, unit 40, lauded the RSIEC for conducting a credible election.

Ihunwo said, “I will describe the election as a very peaceful one despite the fact that the enemies of our state tried to disrupt the entire activities of RSIEC.”

No election in Wike’s hometown

Officials of the RSIEC were nowhere to be found in Ward 9, Rumueprikom, Obio/Akpor LGA of the state, hometown of the FCT Minister, Nyesome Wike.

Our correspondent, who monitored the election, discovered that as of 12 noon, RSIEC officials and materials were nowhere in sight in the community though some voters were spotted waiting anxiously.

A voter, who gave her name as Oluchi, said, “Election did not hold in Rumuiprikom; that’s what we noticed. But in other places, they’re doing elections. We don’t even know what happened.”

A similar situation was observed on NTA Road, Mgbuoba and Ozuoba communities in Obio/Akpor LGA.

Sunday PUNCH noted that while the APC faction loyal to former Governor Rotimi Amaechi took part and fielded candidates for the election, the Tony Okocha camp boycotted the elections, citing lack of transparency and due process.

Similarly, the PDP faction loyal to the FCT minister, pulled out of the election with the state chairman, Chukwuemeka Aaron, accusing RSIEC of bias.

Gunmen attack ward

Our correspondent observed that though elections had ended in many parts of the state, there was violence in areas where suspected political thugs and some men in police uniform wreaked havoc.

The incident, which took place at the Elekahia Primary School in Port Harcourt City LGA, saw the RSIEC officers and voters scampering for safety.

Our correspondent gathered that about 21 Hilux patrol vans with heavily armed men drove into the election venue and immediately fired tear gas canisters.

RSIEC officials, who had set up their stand to begin accreditation in Ward 19, which had 10 units, were chased out.

The armed men, some of whom were masked, also asked the officials to remove their vests and hand them over and went on to cart away all election materials.

It was further gathered that the armed men also shot tear gas canisters directly into the crowd of voters and bystanders at the entrance of Ibe Street in Elekahia.

Many RSIEC officials, voters, and residents of the community ran into Ibe and Boms streets in a confused manner, creating tension.

When contacted, the Rivers police spokesperson, Grace Iringe-Koko, said she was not aware of the incident.

The Punch