Dons EzeANARCHY: TINUBU ORDERS POLICE TO MAINTAIN PEACE IN RIVERS
ANARCHY: TINUBU ORDERS POLICE TO MAINTAIN PEACE IN RIVERS President Bola Tinubu has broken his silence on the ongoing crisis in Rivers State, calling on political stakeholders to exercise caution. The President also directed the police to maintain order and secure local government workers. In a statement which Bayo Onanuga, his spokesman, issued on his behalf, the president said issues arising from Saturday’s local government election could be resolved in the court. “In response to recent tensions following last Saturday’s local government council election, the President expressed deep concern over reports of arson and explosions in the state.” “He urged all political actors to de-escalate the situation and discourage their supporters from engaging in violence or destructive actions. “President Tinubu directed the police to restore and maintain peace, law, and order immediately. “While instructing law enforcement agencies to bring the situation under control, he emphasised the need to ensure the security of public institutions. “President Tinubu said government facilities built with public funds must be safeguarded from vandalism. “He stressed that self-help has no place in a democratic system, especially after 25 years of continuous democracy. “According to President Tinubu, the judiciary can settle all political disputes, and the outcome of this election should be no exception.” At least three Local Government secretariats have been torched by suspected hoodlums in the last few hours. Eleme, Ikwere and Emouha are among the secretariats that were destroyed by the hoodlums following the victory of Action Peoples Party (APP) in the LGA election. Governor Siminalayi Fubara, who is locked in a fierce battle with Nyesom Wike, Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), had sworn in 23 Local Government Chairmen on Sunday. Subsequently, Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, relaxed the 3-month siege at the secretariats. The IGP had deployed his men to the secretariats after supporters of Wike and Fubara clashed in June.
POLICE SILENT AS THUGS UNLEASH VIOLENCE ON RIVERS COUNCIL SECRETARIATS
POLICE SILENT AS THUGS UNLEASH VIOLENCE ON RIVERS COUNCIL SECRETARIATS The Rivers State Police Command has remained silent amid sudden violence that erupted at several local government council secretariats on Monday morning. Suspected “political thugs” believed to be supporters of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, attacked the Obio/Akpor, Ikwerre, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, Eleme, and Emohua local government council secretariats on Monday morning, barely 24 hours after Governor Sim Fubara swore in newly elected LG chairmen. The attackers reportedly barricaded the council entrances and fired shots indiscriminately. These actions are allegedly aimed at preventing the newly elected LG chairmen from resuming in their offices. On Monday, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, ordered the immediate withdrawal of Police personnel from the 23 Rivers State LG secretariats after over three months of deployment. In Bori, Khana LGA, a gunfight broke out after armed men opened fire on members of a political party, leading to an exchange of fire between the attackers and the Police. Reports also indicate that the Bori Police Division recovered the body of a civilian who was fatally shot during the confrontation. In Eleme, arsonists set fire to the local council in an effort to prevent the newly elected chairman from taking office. Similarly, heavy gunfire was reported in Obio/Akpor LGA, where assailants sought to disrupt the inauguration of councilors by the local government chairman. Also, a viral video obtained by DAILY POST showed the Ikwerre LG secretariat engulfed in flames, while in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, plastic chairs were scattered at the secretariat’s entrance following further disruptions by the alleged political thugs. Unconfirmed reports suggest that three people have been killed in the chaos across Obio/Akpor, Khana, and Ahoada East LGAs. Despite numerous calls for action, the state police command has yet to comment on the situation or take decisive steps to restore order and security at the affected secretariats.
BREAKING: PDP GROUP TAKES OVER EMOHUA COUNCIL SECRETARIAT IN RIVERS STATE
BREAKING: PDP GROUP TAKES OVER EMOHUA COUNCIL SECRETARIAT Following the Inspector General of Police’s order to withdraw Police personnel manning the 23 council secretariats on Monday morning, a group suspected to be supporting the FCT Minister Nyesom Wike stormed the Emohua Council Secretariat in Rivers State, protesting the recent election results. The group, comprised of loyalists to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), claims that an unknown party, APP, cannot possibly win the council. According to eyewitnesses, the protesters barricaded the main entrance to the secretariat, padlocking the gate and securing the small entrance. They also took control of the administrative building, demonstrating their determination not to allow the sworn-in Chairman, David Omereji assume office. At the heart of the dispute is the legitimacy of Chidi Lloyd’s chairmanship. The supporters recognize Lloyd as the duly elected chairman and demand that he be allowed to serve out his tenure. In response to the unrest, PDP Emohua Council Chairman, Morrison Jim addressed the public, reaffirming the party’s commitment to democracy and the rule of law. He said despite not participating in the recent election due to a court order, he assured that the PDP remains strong and united. “We respect the legal process and have chosen to abide by the court’s decision,” Jim stated. “Our focus remains on serving the people and promoting the well-being of our good people of Emolga.” The PDP emphasizes its dedication to transparency, accountability, and good governance, demonstrating its unwavering commitment to upholding the principles of the rule of law. The situation remains tense, with many wondering what’s next for Emohua Council and the PDP.
GREEDY WIKE WANTS TO CONTROL PDP, APC STRUCTURES IN RIVERS – EX-DEPUTY SPEAKER
GREEDY WIKE WANTS TO CONTROL PDP, APC STRUCTURES IN RIVERS – EX-DEPUTY SPEAKER Former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Austin Okpara has knocked the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike for trying to control the structures of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state. He stated this while fielding questions on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Sunday. Okpara, also a chieftain of the PDP in the State, applauded Governor Siminalayi Fubara for defying all odds to hold the local government election in the state despite the withdrawal of the PDP and the APC. “A man wants to control APC structure, he wants to be in control of PDP structure, in a state? How do you explain that?” he queried. “The difference now is that we have a governor who wants to serve and not be served; not a governor who Adolf Hitler is his mentor or (Donald) Trump,” Okpara added. The ex-Deputy Speaker further described the success of the conduct of Saturday’s Local Government election in Rivers state as a sign that the people of the state were tired of oppression.
AKPABIO FUMES AS PDP CLEARS AKWA IBOM LG POLLS
AKPABIO FUMES AS PDP CLEARS AKWA IBOM LG POLLS Amid opposition protests especially from Senate President Godswill Akpabio, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has overwhelmingly won the local government elections across 30 of the 31 councils in Akwa Ibom State. The Chairman of the Akwa Ibom State Independent Electoral Commission (AKISIEC), Elder Aniedi Ikoiwak, who declared the outcome of the Saturday:s contest on Sunday, said the ruling PDP won in all the councils except Essien Udim LGA, hometown of the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, where the All Progressives Congress (APC) won. However, Akpabio, who lamented the PDP’s sweeping victory, recalled that during his era as Governor (2007-2015), he never demonstrated high disregard and disdain for the opposition, as Governor Umo Eno expressed at the weekend’s LGA elections in the State. “When I was the Governor of Akwa Ibom State (2007-2015), I conducted about two elections. I remember one occasion when I flew back into the state, and I was told that there was a crisis in the local government election and that the opposition had rejected the results. “The then Chairman of AKISIEC, Gloria Ukpong, had told me stakeholders would accept the results. I said she should declare for the opposition, and the ANPP won the Championship position in Ini LGA and other councilorship positions,” he recalled. Also, the House of Representatives member representing Ikono/Ini Federal Constituency on the Young Peoples Party (YPP) platform, Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Ukpong-Udo described the exercise and its outcome as “shambolic”, noting that it was deliberately designed to have a predetermined outcome for the PDP. Therefore, he called on his YPP supporters to remain calm, warning against taking the laws into their hands in the face of what he described as polling corruption that characterised the contest. Responding, his colleague in the Green Chamber, Rt. Hon. Uduak Odudoh, representing Ikot Abasi/Mkpat Enin/Eastern Obolo, Federal Constituency, dismissed the claims of rigging for the PDP in the just-concluded poll, explaining that while the PDP had sufficiently prepared and campaigned to woo voters, the opposition, especially the ruling APC at the centre, were asleep
IGP WITHDRAWS POLICEMEN FROM RIVERS LG SECRETARIAT AFTER THREE-MONTH SIEGE
IGP WITHDRAWS POLICEMEN FROM RIVERS LG SECRETARIAT AFTER THREE-MONTH SIEGE The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has directed immediate withdrawal of Policemen from the 23 local government areas of Rivers State. The secretariat were sealed in June following the disagreement between the Caretaker Committee Chairmen loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the immediate past local government chairmen, who were loyalists of Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). However, on Monday, the Public Relations Officer of Rivers State Police Command, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, said the newly deployed Commissioner of Police in the State , CP Bala Mustapha, conveyer the directives of the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, for the immediate withdrawal of all police personnel previously deployed to seal and safeguard the secretariat. Koko said the decision was in line with the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to ensure neutrality and the smooth functioning of democratic institutions. “Consequently, the IGP has ordered the unsealing of the Local Government Secretariat, which were earlier secured by police personnel. The police will only be redeployed to these locations in the event of any crisis or breakdown of law and order, in which case emergency measures will be swiftly implemented to restore normalcy. “The Rivers State Police Command assures the public of its readiness to maintain peace and order across the state and will continue to act professionally in discharging its duties. We urge all residents and stakeholders to remain calm and law-abiding as the situation continues to evolve,” she stated. The development comes few hours after Fubara swore in the newly elected chairmen. The governor had accused the IGP of taking sides with his opponents, an allegation the police denied while cautioning politicians to be mindful of their utterances.
RIVERS CRISIS: AS FUBARA SWEARS IN NEWLY ELECTED LG CHAIRMEN, PRO-WIKE GROUP, APC REJECT OUTCOME OF ELECTION
RIVERS LG CRISIS; AS GOV FUBARA SWEARS IN NEWLY ELECTED LG CHAIRMEN, PRO-WIKE GROUP, APC REJECT ELECTION OUTCOME The Rivers State Peoples Democratic Party and the All Progressives Congress factions on Sunday rejected the conduct and outcome of the local government election, stating that no election was held in the state on Saturday.The Rivers PDP loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, described the poll as an exercise in futility, vowing to challenge it in court.The Wike camp said this as the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, swore in the newly elected council chairmen of the 23 local government areas of the state.The exercise was held on Sunday at the Executive Council Chamber of the Government House in Port Harcourt, the state capital, hours after the chairmen were issued certificates of return by the Chairman of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, Adolphus Enebeli.The Saturday council election, which was marred by explosions and gunfire, was won by the Action Peoples Party which secured 22 out of 23 chairmanship positions, while the Action Alliance candidate won one seat.The APP also won 314 out of the 319 councillorship seats in the 23 LGAs in the state.The exercise was complicated by the ongoing power struggle between the Fubara and his predecessor, Wike.After losing control of the PDP to Wike, Fubara’s supporters switched to the APP, securing chairmanship positions in their local government areas.PDP challenges pollSpeaking to The PUNCH hours after the election winners were sworn in, the state Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Kenneth Yowika, said the party would challenge the conduct of the poll in court.‘’We are pressing further through the courts to ensure that justice is done and seen to have been done. So, we do not agree nor do we recognize if any swearing-in is taking place today (Sunday) or tomorrow (Monday),” he asserted.Yowika said from the beginning, the ruling party in the state had insisted on the Federal High Court judgment barring the conduct of the council poll, pointing out that what the state government did was illegal.Yowika said, “First of all everything concerning that issue is illegal. We have said it clearly that elections should not be held, you know, relying on the Federal High Court judgment delivered by Justice Peter Lifu. “And I had said before this time that any action taken regarding the issue of the local government will be futile because if we say we are a country that stands by the rule of law, then we should not be doing things that are contrary to the law.“The law had said do things that will be in line with the judgment of the Federal High Court and the Government of the day has not obeyed that.“So, we are a law-abiding party. We are not going to come out physically to begin to fight. We had a protest yesterday (Saturday) clearly showing that there was no election.“And we stand by that decision that we have taken that there was no election, and we wait for the judiciary and other arms of government that should put things in proper perspective to act. We continue to hold on that there was no election.”Continuing, he said, “We visited the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission yesterday and clearly, the world saw that there was no election there. So, we stand by the ruling of the Federal High Court which said that that election should not go on.“Well, they went ahead to do whatever charade people saw and that is not acceptable by the Peoples Democratic Party. Like we said we are a law-abiding party, and we stand to remain that.”Similarly, Chibuike Ikenga, Publicity Secretary of the Chief Tony Okocha-led APC insisted on the Federal High Court judgment which restrained…
RIVERS LG POLL LACKS CREDIBILITY – ELECTION OBSERVER GROUP
RIVERS LG POLL LACKS CREDIBILITY – ELECTION OBSERVER GROUPAn observer group which monitored Saturday’s local government elections in Rivers State, The Peoples Advocates, TPA, has said that the exercise was not credible due to a number of irregularities.TPA made the observation in its report on the election.The highly contentious election was held across 23 local government areas in Rivers State, despite moves by the camp of Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Minister Nyesom Wike, to stop the exercise.Governor Sim Fubara went ahead with the poll, defying a court order which retrained the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, RSIEC, from conducting the election.Candidates of the All People’s Party, APP, believed to be Fubara’s loyalists, won 22 out of the 23 LGAs.However, although it commended the Rivers electoral commission for conducting the election, TPA noted that the poll witnessed several irregularities.Parts of the report read, “While we appreciate the effort of RSIEC to conduct this election at such a tough time as this in the political history of Rivers State, we believe that there is need for improvements in order to set a fair playing ground for all political parties and candidates in order to ensure a free and fair election.”The irregularities, which the observer group said undermined the credibility of the election, include absence of result sheets, violence and improper collation process, among others.“At Phalga LGA, D. Line Ward 1 units 8,9,10; Ward 4 units 48, 49, 50, 51; Ogbunabali Ward 3, Ward 2, Oroworukwu Ward 9 units 5,6,7,8,9 etc, the absence of Result Sheet undermined the credibility of the process because Agents of Labour Party and other interested Political Parties asked for Result Sheets and moved to stop the polls if the Result Sheets weren’t produced.“This systemic flop of RSIEC affected the credibility of the polls and risked the life of the Ad-hoc staff.”The group further faulted the manual voting process used in the election. According to TPA, manual voting is not only outdated but is also prone to manipulation of results.“The Manual Voting process of RSIEC and use of incident form is archaic and prone to manipulations. Electronic Voting and transmission of results is the best way to go in order to have a credible free and fair elections wherein the votes of the electorates or voters will truly count.”The report added that “early closure of polls disenfranchised some electorates”. Continuing, the report said: “Materials did not arrive in time or at all in some polling units and cubicles were not used for secret balloting. The implication is that such open balloting may sway the votes of electorates who may suffer reprisal attacks if they don’t vote a particular party or candidate.“Our Situation Room observed that the process did not create any solid internal mechanism for grievance or dissent before the results are announced. Such pattern may encourage violence or discourage genuine candidates who have legitimate complaint.“Irregularities in some polling units should be addressed before results are announced. This is to avoid announcing results in polling units where elections did not hold or where the election was fraught with fraud, snatching of ballot materials, violence etc. and some of such incidents were witnessed in this election and the candidates affected, would be left with the only option of going to court.“This is a systemic flaw, capable of occasioning injustice.“Our observers were lost as to where your Ward and State Collation should take place and who is allowed into your “holy sanctuary” to witness the collation and how you arrived at your results.“A closed collation process is prone to manipulations and should be avoided. Cumulated Results should be fact-checked with polling unit results for credibility. The truth is that the entire election lacks credibility.”TPA, in its report, added that the phone contacts of electoral…
NIGERIANS WILL START EXPERIENCING BETTER ELECTIONS WITHOUT POLICE – ATIKU’S AIDE
NIGERIANS WILL START EXPERIENCING BETTER ELECTIONS WITHOUT POLICE -: ATIKU’S AIDE Paul Ibe, the spokesman of the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar, said on Saturday the Rivers State local government election may usher in a new dispensation of better polls without police. He was reacting to the withdrawal of police from the Rivers local government election. Posting on X, Ibe wrote: “The withdrawal of the @PoliceNG from today’s #RiversLGAPolls2024 will confirm to the whole world the anti-democratic elements and institutions in Nigeria. “The outcome of the election may usher in a new regime in which our elections are better off without the police.” Reports had it that voting went on peacefully in the local government elections in Rivers State despite the police barring officers from providing security for the exercise. Election officials were seen conducting accreditation and voting simultaneously at a polling unit in Ikoku Area, Units 14 and 15 in Port Harcourt City Ward 18. The Rivers State Police Command had announced its withdrawal from the local government election. Spokesman of the state police command, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, in a statement titled “Proposed October 5th, 2024 Local Government Chairman Election,” confirmed receiving a restraining order preventing them from providing security during the LGA elections. The command also said it was aware of the 30th September 2024 Court judgement from the Federal High Court Abuja, which bars the Force from participating in the election.
NASS TO REVISE EXISTING LAWS FOR FULL LOCAL GOVT AUTONOMY – AKPABIO
NASS TO REVISE EXISTING LAWS FOR FULL LOCAL GOVT AUTONOMY – AKPABIO Senate President Godswill Akpabio, has said the National Assembly would revise existing laws that had hindered the effective governance of local government councils in Nigeria, with the aim to ensure full autonomy for the tier of government. Akpabio identified the Joint State and Local Government Accounts Committee and the State Independent Electoral Commission laws as key pieces of legislation that would be amended to secure Local Government autonomy across the nation. He spoke at Independence High School Ukana, in Essien Udim local government area of Akwa Ibom State after participating in the local government election yesterday. A statement from his special assistant on media and communication, Anietie Ekong, quoted Akpabio as encouraging citizens to engage in the electoral process, regardless of the outcomes. “I firmly advocate for local government autonomy, and a recent Supreme Court ruling highlighted the necessity for local government funds to be allocated directly to them. However, achieving this will require some legislative adjustments due to various constitutional provisions,” he said. He emphasised the need to address the joint local government accounts committee and the regulations set forth by the State Independent Electoral Commissions. His visit was motivated by a desire to observe the electoral process and ensure transparency in the elections conducted by the state government, the statement said. Akpabio expressed concern over the frequent outcomes where the ruling party secures all available positions in local government elections. He stated, “The overwhelming support I have witnessed in my senatorial district raises questions about how any party could consistently achieve such results. If elections are held fairly, parties would select candidates based on merit rather than their affiliation with the ruling party.” He urged Nigerians to reflect on the importance of ensuring that every vote counts and emphasised the need to strengthen democracy at the grassroots level, as true development cannot reach the common citizen without it. “Vote regardless of the outcome. The joy lies in exercising your right to vote. Achieving accurate representation will require legislative efforts, executive support, and judicial backing,” he said.