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Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has declared Thursday, October 3, and Friday, October 4, as public holidays to enable residents travel to their communities and participate in the upcoming Local Government elections scheduled for Saturday, October 5, 2024.
In a statewide broadcast from the Government House in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, Fubara announced a restriction on vehicular movement from midnight on Friday, October 4, until 5:00 pm on election day.
He explained that the measures were necessary to ensure smooth and peaceful elections.
Fubara outlined the rationale behind the local government elections, noting that the tenures of the chairmen and councillors of the 23 local government councils expired on June 17, 2023.
“I lawfully constituted caretaker committees to temporarily administer the 23 local government areas pending when the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, RSIEC, would conduct the elections,” he said.
He referenced the Supreme Court’s July 11, 2024 judgment, which prohibited the administration of local governments by unelected officers, and ordered an immediate halt to statutory allocations for such councils.
“Following Mr President’s intervention, the period for compliance with the Supreme Court’s judgment was graciously extended by three months, which will expire on the 31st of October 2024,” the governor explained.
Governor Fubara further disclosed that RSIEC had made all necessary arrangements to conduct the elections on October 5, 2024, as directed.
He added that a Rivers State High Court judgment delivered on September 4, 2024, also mandated the conduct of the elections, using the 2023 INEC voter register.
“As of today, RSIEC has expressed and demonstrated concrete and verifiable capacity and readiness to conduct the 2024 Rivers State Local Government Elections on the 5th of October 2024,” Fubara said.
He also revealed that 17 out of 18 registered political parties, including the All Progressives Congress, APC, had submitted candidates for the election.
“As of today, over 10 states in Nigeria have conducted local government council elections using the 2023 INEC Voters’ Register since the Supreme Court’s judgment and Rivers State cannot be an exception,” he stated.
Fubara emphasized the constitutional and legal obligations of the state to hold the elections, citing the potential loss of statutory allocations to the 23 councils and the state’s obligation to comply with both the Supreme Court and High Court rulings.
“In light of these developments, I assure every resident that the election for the 23 Local Government Councils in Rivers State shall be held on Saturday, 5th October 2024, throughout the State,” he reaffirmed.
The governor assured citizens that adequate funding and logistics had been provided for RSIEC to conduct a free, fair, and credible election.
He also urged registered voters to go to their polling units to cast their votes, assuring them that security personnel would be deployed to maintain order.
“To this end, I hereby declare Thursday and Friday, the 3rd and 4th of October 2024, as public holidays for citizens to travel to their communities and participate in the election,” the governor said.
He added that the movement restriction was aimed at ensuring safety and compliance during the voting process.
“Furthermore, I hereby place a total restriction on vehicular and human movements into, within, and out of the State, and the Local Government Areas, from midnight of Friday, 4th October 2024, to 5.00 p.m. on Saturday, 5th October 2024, except for persons and vehicles with valid identifications who are on election and other essential duties,” he declared.
Governor Fubara also instructed the police and security agencies to arrest and prosecute anyone attempting to violate the restrictions, expressing his appreciation for their cooperation in securing the state during the elections.
“As citizens, we all owe our State the commitment to support RSIEC to succeed in delivering on its constitutional duty to conduct a free, fair, and credible Local Government Council election to usher in a new set of democratically elected leaders to administer the 23 Local Government Councils,” Fubara concluded.
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