Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has insisted that the local government elections scheduled for Saturday must proceed as planned, despite growing tensions and allegations against the Nigeria Police Force.
Fubara accused the Inspector General of Police and the police force of acting in favor of an Abuja-based politician to disrupt the electoral process.
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Speaking at a world press conference at the Government House in Port Harcourt on Friday, Governor Fubara asserted that all necessary preparations—legal, logistical, and security—had been completed for the elections.
He emphasized that voters had been sensitized and the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) was ready to conduct the poll.
Fubara expressed disappointment with the actions of the Nigerian Police, accusing them of attempting to raid RSIEC’s office to seize sensitive electoral materials.
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He revealed that a security report alerted him to an early morning invasion of RSIEC’s headquarters by the police, prompting him to visit the scene personally.
“I was shocked to find police officers in a truck and three empty Hilux vans attempting to break into RSIEC’s premises. It was a blatant attempt to steal electoral materials, but we were able to stop them,” Fubara said.
He criticized the police for abandoning their professional duties and becoming tools in what he described as an illegal operation aimed at derailing the democratic process.
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Fubara questioned why the police would interfere with RSIEC, a state-controlled agency, when there was no valid court ruling to justify their actions.
He noted that while there had been a court order prohibiting the police from providing security to RSIEC, no ruling authorized sealing off the electoral body’s premises or halting the election.
Governor Fubara also highlighted that a court judgment obtained by the state mandated that the election should proceed, using the 2023 voter register, with police and other security agencies providing necessary protection.
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“I may not be a lawyer, but I understand that when it comes to court judgments, priority is given to the first ruling,” Fubara remarked, adding that the judgment favoring the election should be enforced.
He questioned whether any court ruling exists that overrides the Supreme Court’s position on the proper constitution of local government councils in Rivers State, reaffirming his stance that the elections will be held, winners will be declared, and those elected will be sworn in as required by law.
