Local government poll: Action People Party wins 22 chairmanship seats in Rivers state
The Action Peoples Party (APP) has won 22 out of the 23 local government areas in the Saturday council chairmanship election held in Rivers state, as declared by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC)
Penpushing reports the chairman of the commission, Justice Adolfus Enebeli(rtd) made the declaration as contained in a video posted on facebook, adding that as at the time of the announcement the results were still being collated in Etche Local Government Area.
“About 18 of the registered political parties resident in Rivers State took part in the election. In keeping with extant regulations, the commission displayed voters register in all the 6,866 polling units in the state.”
Penpushing further reports that Enebeli explained that the commission remained unbowed and ensured that the October 5,2024 election was sacrosanct, especially after the Supreme Court judgment in July and the judgment of Justice I.P.C Igwe of the Rivers State High Court.
“It is heartening that I stand before you today to affirm the smooth, free, fair and credible and transparent, all inclusive, successful, violence-free and most treasured conduct of Rivers State local government election despite all odds’, he said
Penpushing also reports that the retired judge described the results collation as painstaking, however, as at the time of filing this report the video did not show the commission declare the results of the councillorship election.
The local election which was declared as free and fair was held despite the police withdrawal of security for the exercise, which earlier claimed they the authorities acted in compliance with a Federal High Court order
Penpushing reports that the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), however, said it was buoyed by the Supreme Court judgment and that of I.P.C Igwe of Rivers State High Court, a statement that underscores how conflicting judicial pronouncements contribute to the raging political crisis in the oil-rich state.
The members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which Siminalayi Fubara was elected governor, boycotted the election, forcing his (Fubara’s) loyalists to seek an alternative in a relatively unknown The Action Peoples Party (APP), whose candidates eventually won the 22 chairmanship seats so far declared.
Penpushing further reports that it is on record that Rivers State has witnessed political turmoil after Fubara parted ways with his erstwhile political god-father, and former Governor of Rivers State Nyesom Wike.
The former Governor who is a member of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who is cabinet minister in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) government is said to have refused to surrender the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) political structure in the state to Fubara.
Penpushing also reports that adamant posture of Wike is linked to the cause of political rift between him and the sitting governor, while the controversial Wike had tried unsuccessfully to stop the election, including mobilising his supporters to protest against the exercise.
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