Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara intervened at the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) office to prevent an alleged police takeover ahead of local elections. Tensions rose as police were accused of attempting to seize electoral materials, despite a court order restraining them from providing security for the elections.
Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, intervened at the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) office early Friday to prevent the police from taking over the premises. A video showed Fubara, along with top political figures and lawmakers, arriving at the RSIEC office amid allegations that police officers were attempting to breach the facility to seize sensitive electoral materials ahead of the Saturday local government elections.
The governor was accompanied by key stakeholders, including his Chief of Staff and the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, to secure the premises. Meanwhile, background voices in the video accused the police of illegal actions, demanding they vacate the location.
This confrontation follows a restraining order received by the Rivers State Police Command, preventing them from providing security during the local elections. Governor Fubara expressed regret that his party, the People's Democratic Party (PDP), would not be participating in the October 5 elections but insisted that the poll must proceed as mandated by federal law. He emphasized the need to comply with the Supreme Court ruling on local government autonomy, stressing that the elections must be conducted within the three-month grace period granted by the federal government.
