Rivers: No Litigation Stopping October 5 Council Polls, Says RSIEC

Despite claims in some quarters that ongoing court litigations could halt the upcoming October 5 Local Government Council elections, the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) has confirmed that preparations are in full gear for the polls.

Speaking to Channels Television, the RSIEC Commissioner for Public Affairs and Civic Education, Tobins Tamunotonye, dismissed the claims, stating that the commission is unaware of any court orders affecting the election.

Tamunotonye further revealed that 17 political parties out of 19, including the All Progressives Congress (APC), have successfully presented candidates from primaries that the commission supervised.

“The River State Independent Electoral Commission under the Chairmanship of Retired Justice Enebeli is yet to receive any court order nor judgement stopping the election. In short, as we speak we are 90 percent ready for elections with candidates already screened.

In confirmation of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Rivers State’s stance on not partaking in the L.G.A polls, he added, “The only party that is yet to present candidates for the upcoming elections is PDP.”

READ ALSO: Fubara Suspends Rivers LGA Caretaker Committee Chairman

Addressing concerns raised in some quarters regarding RSIEC’s credibility in conducting the election, Tamunotonye reassured the public of the commission’s commitment to ensuring a transparent and fair electoral process, urging all to come out and vote.

It has been an endless drama within the political corridors of Rivers State. These political crises may have spilled to the L.G.A election as the sacked Chairman of the Caretaker Committee of the APC in Rivers State, Tony Okocha, had said his party would not be participating in the elections.

However, the chairman of the party in the state, Emeka Beke, had gone ahead to conduct primaries which produced candidates for the October 5 council polls.

The non-participation of the PDP in the election has also made some members of the party loyal to Governor Simi Fubara interested in contesting, to join the Action People’s Party (APP), a new party that seems to be gathering fast recognition.