There is tension in the polity as Rivers State holds local council elections today, where the camps of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, and Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, Minister, Chief Nyesom Wike, are locked in a fight to finish in the battle for the control of political structure at the grassroots.
As at press time, how the exercise will pan out in Rivers was difficult to tell following confusing, and conflicting signals from many quarters. For instance, while the National Working Committee, NWC, of the Peoples Democratic, PDP, is in support and wants its members to take part in the election, its Rivers State chapter, which is loyal to Wike, urged residents and party members to shun the exercise.
The Police, citing court orders, have said they would not provide security services in Rivers and urged other security agencies to do the same.
However, Governor Fubara who accused the Police of bias, said the election would be held with the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, RSIEC, saying regardless of the court order, it would go ahead with the conduct of the exercise.
This was as the Action Peoples Party, APP, disowned a factional group claiming to be the party’s authentic leadership in Rivers, and backed RSIEC’s decision to go ahead with the poll.
The four council polls that will be held today, are part of ongoing push by states to ensure democratically-elected councils on the heels of the recent Supreme Court ruling halting federal allocation to councils without elected officials, and the agreement of Presidency and governors to do so within 90 days of the judgment.
No going back on poll, IGP’s biased — Fubara
Insisting on holding today’s LGA poll, Governor Fubara accused the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and the entire Nigeria Police Force of serving the interest of an Abuja-based politician to scuttle the election. Governor Fubara made the accusation during a World Press Conference held at Government House in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
The Governor said the already scheduled Local Government election, barely hours away, cannot be stopped or truncated because a particular person does not want it conducted. He said that everything that needed to be done about the electoral process legally, security wise and logistically, including the voters, have been finalised and voters sentisitised because of their high confidence levels.
Governor Fubara said even the police have been informed, and are expected to discharge their statutory professional security duties, particularly because the court also directed so in its judgment on the election. He regretted that rather, the police had become hired agents sent to attack the headquarters of Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, RSIEC, and tried to cart away sensitive materials.
His words: “In the early hours of this morning (Friday), I got a security report that the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission office has been invaded by the Nigerian Police. I was really surprised because before that time, I got a copy of a signal withdrawing the police officers that were guarding the premises. So, I had to drive to the place myself since the facility belongs to Rivers State Government.
“Getting to the scene, and to the shock of everyone who accompanied me there, I saw some fierce looking policemen in one truck and three other empty Hilux vans trying to force their way into the premises. I had to stop them. In the process, we discovered that that movement (operation), was a deliberate attempt by the Nigerian Police Force, both the Rivers State Command and the Headquarters (Abuja), to steal the electoral materials. But by the special grace of God, that act was foiled.”
Governor Fubara questioned how so low the Nigeria Police stooped, allowing their officers to engage in such illegal acts that clearly suggested that they had become enemies of Rivers State.
Otherwise, the governor wondered why the Nigeria Police will attempt to take over control of RSIEC or be used to stop a democratic process that is ongoing, which will lead to the emergence of elected political leadership at the local government councils.
Fubara’s critical questions
Governor Fubara continued: “Here are the questions: first, the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, is it not an agency, and a process that is being controlled by the State Government? Is it not a system that is governed by the law of the State? Why is Rivers State’s case different?
“The second part of it is: what is the special thing about this issue of taking over the premises by the Police? If we should go by their claim that they had a court order, the court ruling said, don’t give RSIEC voters register, don’t give RSIEC police protection. Did the judgment say they should seal the premises? Or don’t allow them conduct election?
Conflicting court judgment
“However, the Rivers State Government and RSIEC itself also had a judgment that state clearly: conduct the election with the voters register of 2023; and police, DSS, Nigeria Army and other sister agencies should provide security. I might not be a lawyer, but I understand clearly that when it comes to the issue of judgment, there is something they call first- in-time.”
Governor Fubara asked if there was any other court that is bigger than the Supreme Court of Nigeria, whose judgment concerning a proper constitution of elected Local Government Councils is being obeyed in Rivers State.
The Governor stated that among all the security agencies, the Nigeria Police was the only one acting so strangely and have become a threat to the nation’s democracy.
He stated: “Why are they looking for a way to stampede this state? The Supreme Court gave a judgment that all local government activities must be conducted by elected officers. The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, in agreement with State Governors, directed a compliance to this judgment within 90 days with effect from the judgment date.
“And all other states are conducting elections to ensure that they comply with the directive, not just the Supreme Court ruling but also going by the understanding that we have with Mr. President. What Rivers State is also doing is not different from others. And the big question is: is any other court bigger than the Supreme Court?”
Governor Fubara also made reference to the incident that happened in Nigeria about the botched general election of June 12, 1993, wherein the Supreme Court ruled that when it comes to the issue of election, no court should stop the process.
Credit, except headline: NEWS EXPRESS.
