He contended that the court made no mention of the state’s right to organise local government elections.

The issue surrounding the conduct of the state’s local government elections has prompted Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara to condemn Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun.

Speaking to reporters following his takeover of the state’s Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission on Friday morning, Fubara implied that the IG and “someone who says he is more powerful than the state” had a relationship that went beyond the bounds of professionalism. This was presumably a reference to Nyesom Wike, his predecessor.

“The police inspector general needs to take responsibility for his actions. When I heard that some of the police officers stationed here were being removed, I decided to come. According to them, a court order prevents polls from taking place here. What legal decree states that an election is not to be held?” he enquired.

He maintained that the court did not rule against the state holding elections for local government.

“There is no court ruling stating that the state cannot hold elections. The police claim that the federal high court simply issued an order prohibiting them from providing security. It occurred in Anambra; we don’t need your protection. Enough is enough, he said.

In reference to the continuing struggle in the state, Fubara added that he was prepared to be shot by the police and to fight until the very end.

“If that’s what he wants, the police inspector general should take up his battle, which may include shooting Fubara. We will fight to the very end since this is the last round,” he said.

The way the state’s local government elections were conducted has been the subject of controversy.

A Federal High Court in Abuja ruled on September 30 that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) could not give the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) access to the voter register for 2023.

Subsequently, INEC stated that, out of respect for the ruling of the federal high court, it had not given the voter register to RSIEC for the purpose of conducting the poll.

In the meantime, the RSIEC was mandated by a Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt to move forward with the October 5 local government council elections.

There has been debate regarding the state’s local government elections process.

On September 30, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was ordered by a Federal High Court in Abuja to deny the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) access to the voter registration for 2023.

In light of the federal high court’s decision, INEC later declared that it had not provided RSIEC with the voter registry in order to conduct the poll.

A Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt ordered the RSIEC to proceed with the October 5 local government council elections in the interim.

According to the court decision, the defendants are required to hold elections for Local Government Councils in Rivers State on or before October 5, 2024, the end of the specified three-month timeframe, in accordance with the Supreme Court’s ruling.

Siminalayi Fubara, the current governor, has proclaimed Thursday and Friday to be public holidays and has committed to hold the election.

“The governor stated that not holding the local government election would be a blatant violation of the Supreme Court’s mandate that no state government in Nigeria manage local government councils with unelected officials. This would have the immediate consequence of depriving the state and its citizens of the statutory allocations owed to the state’s 23 local government areas.”