Judge Adolphus Enebeli (retired), the chairman of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, has proclaimed 22 Action Peoples Party candidates for chairmanship the victors of the state’s October 5, 2024 local government elections.

After tallying the votes, he stated that the candidates received the majority of legitimate votes cast in two-thirds of the wards in each of the 22 LGAs.

Enebeli continued, saying that the commission disqualified the winner of the Etche LGA chairperson because of the LGA’s large area and 19 wards, which dragged down the collation process.

The Chief Electoral Commissioner for the election, Justice Enebeli, announced the results in Port Harcourt on Saturday.

Participants in the results announcement included media, returning officers, presidents of the Nigerian Bar Association, representatives of civil society organisations, and members of the Inter-Party Advisory Council representing eighteen political parties.

The RSIEC chairman reported that despite the rain, a sizable number of voters cast ballots before the polls closed at 3 p.m., and that after that, the results began to come in.

He declared, “Thus, it is warm-hearted that I stand before you all today to confirm the seamless, secure, unrestricted, equitable, trustworthy, and transparent, inclusive, prosperous, violence-free, and highly treasured conduct of the 2024 Rivers State Local Government Council election against all odds.”

Supporters of Fubara praise the poll

Former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Austin Okpara praised the state for “a peaceful outing” in remarks to media following his vote at Ward 10 in Port Harcourt LGA.

“The turnout was good,” he stated. I would categorise the boycotters’ actions as self-serving as they opposed holding elections in Rivers State.

According to the Federal Government’s announcement and the ruling of the Supreme Court, local councils that are not democratically elected will not receive cash or other resources at the end of this month (October). In other words, the local government of Rivers State will not get its allotment if this election is called off. You then have bad intentions towards Rivers.

How are the thousands of people who labour at that level going to support their families? Therefore, Rivers State’s real foes are those who oppose holding the election. Thankfully, though, residents and people from Rivers showed up—at least for what I observed.

Nearly all of the front-runners who had previously been PDP members turned out to be APP candidates in the state’s 23 local government areas, according to our correspondent.

Shortly after casting his ballot in Ward 1, unit 40, Chijioke Ihunwo, the APP candidate in Obio/Akpor LGA, praised the RSIEC for holding a legitimate election.

“Despite the fact that the enemies of our state attempted to disrupt the entire activities of RSIEC,” Ihunwo declared, “I will describe the election as a very peaceful one.”

Wike’s hometown will not hold elections.

The FCT Minister Nyesome Wike’s hometown, Ward 9, Rumueprikom, Obio/Akpor LGA of the state, had no sign of RSIEC officials.

While several voters were seen waiting tensely, as of 12 o’clock in the afternoon, our correspondent, who was keeping an eye on the voting, could not find any evidence of RSIEC personnel or materials in the village.

“We noticed that the election did not hold in Rumuiprikom,” a voter identified as Oluchi remarked. However, elections are being held in other locations. We have no idea what transpired.

In Obio/Akpor LGA, a like circumstance was noted on NTA Road, in the settlements of Mgbuoba and Ozuoba.

The Tony Okocha group boycotted the polls, citing a lack of transparency and due process. The APC faction loyal to former Governor Rotimi Amaechi participated and nominated candidates.

Chukwuemeka Aaron, the state chairman of the PDP faction loyal to the FCT minister, also withdrew from the poll, citing prejudice on the part of RSIEC.

Gunmen open fire on the ward

Despite the fact that polls had concluded in several regions of the state, our correspondent saw violence in places where persons dressed as police officers and suspected political thugs were wreaking damage.

Following the incident, which happened at the Elekahia Primary School in Port Harcourt City LGA, voters and RSIEC staff scrambled to get away.

According to information obtained by our correspondent, twenty-one Hilux patrol vans with heavily armed personnel drove into the election site and started firing tear gas canisters right away.

Officials from RSIEC were driven out of Ward 19, which contained ten units, where they had made their stand to start the accreditation process.

The officials were requested to take off their vests and surrender them by the masked and armed individuals, who then proceeded to remove all election-related materials on a cart.

Further information revealed that the armed men had fired tear gas canisters straight into the assembly of voters and onlookers at Elekahia’s Ibe Street gate.

Two detonations

Two explosions that occurred in various sections of the state before the announcement of the results.

The explosions happened at the Obio/Akpor Local Government secretariat, which is located just outside of Port Harcourt, and the All Progressives Congress secretariat, which is located along Aba Road.

In a news release, Iringe-Koko mentioned that the two explosions occurred nearly at the same time.

She added that police officers arrived at the locations quickly, visited, and took samples in order to conduct an investigation.