By Divine Perezide

…Asserts Local Government Elections Are Non-Negotiable
…Commends Rivers People for Resisting RSIEC Invasion

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has declared that the Inspector General of Police (IGP) will be held accountable if there is any breakdown of law and order in the state.

The governor made this statement during a world press conference at the Government House in Port Harcourt on Friday. He revealed that, in the early hours of the same day, he received a report regarding an attempt by the Nigeria Police to invade the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) office.

Governor Fubara explained that, just a few hours after receiving a signal indicating that police officers would be withdrawn from the RSIEC premises, he went to the site. Upon his arrival, he observed a group of heavily armed policemen in one truck and three empty vans attempting to enter the RSIEC office, but their efforts were thwarted.

The governor expressed his disappointment, describing the police movement as a deliberate attempt by officers from both the Rivers State Police Command and the Force Headquarters to disrupt the upcoming local government elections scheduled for Saturday, October 5, by stealing electoral materials.

Fubara questioned why the police were targeting a state agency such as RSIEC, especially when the court ruling they cited did not order the sealing of the agency or the suspension of the election. Instead, the ruling simply instructed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to provide a voter register and directed the police not to participate.

“On the matter of the voter register, RSIEC has informed us that they already have it, so there is no reason for the election not to proceed. Regarding security, if the police do not wish to participate, they should withdraw. I am making it clear that any act against this election will create lawlessness in the state, and the IGP will be responsible,” the governor emphasized.

He continued, “The Rivers State Government and RSIEC have a judgment that allows the election to be conducted using the 2023 voter register. The Police, DSS, Nigerian Army, and other security agencies are expected to provide security. I am not a lawyer, but I understand that, in terms of court orders, there is precedence, so why this special interest in the Federal High Court judgment?”

Fubara further questioned why Rivers State is being singled out for scrutiny, when the Supreme Court had previously ruled that local government activities must be conducted by elected officials. He pointed out that a meeting between the President and state governors had established a 90-day timeline to comply with the Supreme Court ruling, and many states are organizing elections to meet this directive. Rivers State is doing the same, he noted.

The governor also recalled a Supreme Court judgment following the June 12 incident in Nigeria, stating that no court should halt an election process.

He urged those opposed to the election to seek legal redress rather than trying to disrupt the process and create instability in the state. He noted that many people are already struggling with hardship and hunger, and attempts to destabilize local government could worsen the situation for civil servants.

Fubara reassured the people of Rivers State that his administration had done everything necessary to ensure that the local government elections would proceed as scheduled. He also questioned why Rivers State is often treated differently when interpreting the law, stressing that local government administration is within the purview of state governments, and federal institutions have no authority to dictate how it should be run.

The governor concluded, “I am informing everyone today that any attempt to stop this election will be resisted. We will not allow Rivers State to descend into chaos to protect the interest of an individual.”

He commended the people of Rivers State for their courage in supporting his administration’s efforts to resist what he described as an illegal attempt by the police to interfere with the election.

Fubara noted that it is the statutory duty of the police to maintain law and order, and he found it surprising that the police had chosen to act as adversaries to the state. He hoped that the police would correct this impression if it was based on misinformation.

He reiterated that the local government election scheduled for Saturday is non-negotiable. He also stated that the winners of the election would be sworn in promptly to begin their duties.

Fubara explained that his administration had formally written to the National Security Adviser, providing copies of the court judgment to request security for the election. Copies were also sent to the IGP, the Director General of the DSS, and other relevant agencies, ensuring that the President was informed of the process.

The governor affirmed that the withdrawal of police services would not affect the election, as other security agencies would still participate.

Source: Gist Report