Controversial Rivers State Local Government Election Holds Today

The controversial local government elections in Rivers State holds today, 5th October, 2024. The plan for the local government elections has been greeted by various issues including different court orders, protests, clash with police and political tension.

In the midst of the controversies, the State Governor, Sim Fubara had insisted that the elections will hold against all odds.

On Friday, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has cautioned Governor Fubara to desist from making “unfounded allegations” against him.

Didactic Information Hut recalls that Fubara had accused Egbetokun of working with his opponents, vowing to hold him accountable if there is break down of law and order in the state.

Gov Fubara made the allegation after foiling an alleged plot by the Police to take over the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) office on Friday morning.

But Egbetokun, while reacting in a statement on Friday night by the Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Police Force, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said it was shocking to see Fubara storm the RSIEC office.

“The Nigeria Police Force has noted with concern the recent statements made by the Governor of Rivers State, His Excellency Siminalayi Fubara, in which several unfounded allegations were leveled against the Office of the Inspector-General of Police and the Nigeria Police Force. In light of these claims, it has become necessary to set the record straight.

Firstly, it is important to clarify that there is a subsisting Federal High Court order barring the Nigeria Police Force from participating in the Rivers State elections. This order was duly served on both the NPF and the Rivers State Government. As a law-abiding institution, the IGP instructed the Commissioner of Police in Rivers State to strictly adhere to this court order by refraining from any direct involvement in the election process.

However, in the evening of 3rd October,2024, The commissioner of police Rivers State, received reports that policemen from Rivers State Government house have been deployed to the office of Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RIEC) to aid the conduct of the election. This report was also relayed to the Inspector-General of Police who gave clearance to the Commissioner of Police to withdraw the policemen from the Government house and replace with policemen from the Command Operations department. The mandate of the men from the Operations Department, was to provide overnight security for the RIEC to prevent any attack on the facility.

It is also important to note that prior to this, there had been series of security breaches in the state following the spate of court orders and counter orders and reactions to them by supporters of the different political parties involved. The response of the Command to secure RIEC overnight was therefore professional and supported by the Inspector-General of Police. For emphasis sake, the policemen deployed to RIEC from the operations department of Rivers State Command on the night of 3rd October,2024 were with the sole mandate to protect the RIEC office from attack overnight. This action was proactive and responsive to intelligence at the disposal of the State Command.

It is therefore shocking to see the state governor storming the RIEC office at night, wrongly accusing the police on lawful duties, deriding the Police institution and using unprintable words to describe the Inspector-General of Police. The Nigeria Police takes exception to the unwarranted outburst of the Governor and particularly the weighty accusations which he falsely levied against the Inspector-General of Police and the entire Nigeria Police Force and advise caution and decency in the pursuit of individual political goals.

Threatening to shed blood and to burn down the State because of a Local Government election is not acceptable to us. The Nigeria Police Force is committed to protection of lives and properties and will work with other security agencies in Rivers State to ensure that there is no breakdown of law and order in the State. To this end, the Inspector-General of Police has ordered increased deployment into Rivers State to beef up security throughout the state. Citizens of Rivers state are advised to go about their lawful businesses”.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has expressed concerns regarding the security arrangements for the Rivers State local government elections scheduled for Saturday, 5 October. The NBA in a statement on Friday signed by its National President, Afam Osigwe described as a “brazen” decision, the police’s refusal to fulfil their constitutional mandate to maintain peace and security.”

Mr Osigwe who noted the troubling reports that police officers had allegedly attempted to seize electoral materials from the headquarters of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) at night, said “The responsibility of the police to ensure peace and security in Rivers State is constitutional and cannot be restrained by any court.”

The NBA described the police’s refusal to provide security as not only unconstitutional but also as a serious threat to democratic rights and noted as troubling the implications of the Police or any law enforcement agency refusing to protect citizens during a crucial electoral process.

According to Mr Osigwe, such an abdication of responsibility could create an environment conducive to lawlessness, undermining the integrity of the electoral process.

“The refusal to provide security is not only unconstitutional but also illegal, immoral, and a dangerous signal that invites lawlessness and undermines democracy,” Mr Osigwe warned.

He further called on the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun to launch an immediate investigation into reports of police attempts to tamper with electoral materials and to ensure that any officers found culpable are held accountable.

Didactic Information Hut reports that voting has started some units across Rivers State as at press time.