•Factions Set to Challenge Outcome in Court Amid Claims of Fraud, Violence
The Rivers State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and factions of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are gearing up for a legal battle over the controversial local government elections held on October 5.
Both parties have claimed that the polls, marred by violence and explosions, were illegitimate, insisting that no credible election took place.
The PDP, aligned with former Governor Nyesom Wike, has declared its intent to contest the election results in court.
Party spokesperson Kenneth Yowika stated, “We do not agree nor do we recognize any swearing-in taking place today or tomorrow. Everything concerning that issue is illegal.”
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Governor Siminalayi Fubara swore in the newly elected chairmen for the 23 local government areas shortly after the election, which saw the Action Peoples Party (APP) claim 22 out of 23 chairmanship positions and 314 of 319 councillorship seats.
Yowika emphasized that the PDP would pursue justice through legal avenues, highlighting a Federal High Court judgment barring the election as a crucial point in their argument.
In a parallel response, the APC faction led by Chief Tony Okocha echoed similar sentiments, with spokesperson Chibuike Ikenga asserting that the party does not recognize the election outcome due to the same court ruling.
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“You cannot put something on nothing and expect it to stand,” Ikenga remarked.
However, a rival APC faction, loyal to former Minister Rotimi Amaechi, expressed satisfaction with the results, claiming a councillorship victory and opting not to contest the elections.
The Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) chairman, Justice Adolphus Enebeli, defended the election’s integrity, stating, “The ballot paper in the hands of the people is stronger than arms and ammunition,” while declaring the elections the most peaceful in the state’s history.
Governor Fubara, addressing the newly sworn-in chairmen, urged them to prioritize service to their communities, emphasizing the importance of maintaining peace.
“See this opportunity as a call to service,” he advised, warning against greed and the misuse of power.
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