Rivers Local Elections: Police react to report of sealing off election commission’s office

The police in Rivers State have refuted claims that its officers sealed off the office of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC).

There were earlier reports that the RSIEC secretariat in Port Harcourt was sealed following a Federal High Court order halting the local elections scheduled for 5 October.

However, Grace Iringe-Koko, the police spokesperson in Rivers, told journalists in Port Harcourt that the reports were false.

She said that the police stationed some operatives at the RSIEC office to safeguard the premises from potential attacks during the nationwide protest on 1 October in Port Harcourt.

“The police presence at the facility is strictly for security and not to interfere with the electoral process,” she said

Mrs Iringe-Koko, a police superintendent, urged reporters to verify any information before publication to prevent the spread of misinformation.

The Police spokesperson also denied allegations that officers assaulted protesters during the #EndBadGovernance protest in Rivers.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that RSIEC said it would proceed with Saturday’s election, despite the Federal High Court’s ruling halting it.

The RSIEC Chairperson, Adolphus Enebeli, a retired justice, cited a ruling from the State High Court mandating the commission to continue with the elections.

The former governor of Rivers, Nyesom Wike and his loyalists want to stop the elections from taking place, while his successor, Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his loyalists want the elections to go on.

The Minister of FCT, Mr Wike, has been engaged in a protracted fight with Governor Fubara over the control of the political structure in the oil-rich state.