Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, took swift action early Friday morning by arriving at the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) to stop an alleged police attempt to seize control of the premises. Fubara claimed the police were trying to access the commission’s gates and secure sensitive electoral materials for the upcoming local government election.
Accompanied by his Chief of Staff, the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, National Assembly members, and other stakeholders, Fubara confronted the police presence. In a video from the scene, voices were heard shouting, “Illegal police! Thief!” as some men physically struck vehicles parked inside the RSIEC compound.
The Rivers State Police Command later confirmed receiving a court order that prevented them from providing security for the October 5 local government elections. This comes after Governor Fubara expressed regret that his party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), would not be participating in the elections. Despite this, he insisted that the elections must proceed to comply with the Federal Government’s directive on local government autonomy following a Supreme Court ruling.
