Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State has regained control of the local government system, with his supporters from the Action Peoples Party (APP) winning 22 out of 23 chairmanship positions in the recently concluded elections.
The Chief Election Officer of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), Justice Adolphus Enebeli, made the official announcement in Port Harcourt, the state’s capital, late Saturday.
This victory comes after Fubara’s former ally, Nyesom Wike, briefly took control of the local government structure following his loyalists’ victory during the disputed Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) congress last month.
In response, Fubara instructed his supporters to switch to the APP and participate in the local government election.
Recognizing the influence the state government has over local government elections, Wike’s faction withdrew from the race, which they had already contested in court. Despite the challenges, Fubara proceeded with the elections.
The polls were marred by tensions and sporadic violence, following the withdrawal of police security. According to Justice Enebeli, the result for Etche Local Government Area—the only one yet to be declared—will be announced later.
Meanwhile, both the PDP and the All Progressives Congress (APC) have issued warnings against the announcement of the election results. In a separate press briefing, Victor Giadom, APC Chairman for the South-South region, said his party boycotted the election due to legal irregularities.
“The entire process of the local government election in Rivers State is in conflict with the laws of the land. If the process had adhered to legal standards, my party would have participated,” Giadom stated.
Tony Okocha, the former APC Caretaker Committee Chairman in Rivers, also voiced concerns over the results being declared. “We are surprised that after receiving the court judgment, Governor Fubara forced his way into the RSIEC office, chasing away the police officers stationed there to enforce compliance with the ruling,” he said.
Okocha cautioned that any attempt to declare the results could lead to unrest. “Announcing individuals as elected chairmen without following due process would be a recipe for chaos,” he warned.
Similarly, Rivers PDP Chairman Aaron Chukwuemeka raised concerns about the potential for violence if the results are released. “As the ruling party, we cannot condone lawlessness. All court orders must be obeyed. Any attempt to declare results from an election that did not hold on October 5th, as ordered by the court, could incite violence,” Chukwuemeka said.
Supporters of Wike had earlier staged protests, declaring the elections illegal
