- Governor Siminalayi Fubara conducted Rivers local government elections despite boycott and protests from the All Progressives Congress (APC)
- The Action Peoples Party secured 22 chairmanship positions out of 23 in the state's local government elections
- TheRadar compiled the names of the winners of the local government elections below
The Action Peoples Party (APP) triumphed in Rivers State, securing 22 chairmanship positions as Governor Siminalayi Fubara successfully carried out the local government elections against all odds.
Before the elections took place on Saturday, October 5, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state opted to boycott the polls. At a separate press conference that day, Victor Giadom, South-South APC chairman, said that the decision was prompted by discrepancies in the existing laws.
Court ruling restricts INEC, Police
“The entire process of the local government election in Rivers state is in conflict with the laws of the land —If the process is done according to law, my party will participate in the election,” Giadom said.
The APC received a judgment from a Federal High Court in Abuja that restrains the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from giving voters’ registers to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC).
The ruling included a restriction on Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun from providing any security for the elections.
Fubara insists elections proceed despite police absence
Nonetheless, Fubara insisted that the elections would be held, regardless of the presence of police security citing a judgment from the Supreme Court mandating that democratically elected officials must oversee local governments in the country in addition to a ruling from the Rivers State High Court.
Supporters of the APC and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), aligned with Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike, staged large protests in a failed attempt to prevent the local government elections in the state.
Tony Okocha, the former chairman of the APC Caretaker Committee in Rivers, issued a warning against announcing the results saying, “We are amused that even after the receipt of the judgment, Governor Siminalayi Fubara broke into the gates of RSIEC and chased away police officers deployed in RSIEC to ensure compliance of the judgment.”
APC, PDP supporters protest, Okocha warns against announcing results
“We caution against any announcement or any attempt to announce fictitious individuals as elected chairmen in the local government area.
“Doing so is a clear-cut recipe for chaos and unrest. The governor’s attempts to enthrone his proteges into the councils will not work.”
While the results for the Etche LGA chairmanship seat and 319 councillorship positions across the state were still being collected, incidents of explosions were reported at the APC state secretariat in Port Harcourt and the Obio/Akpor LG council.
APP wins 22 LGA, all 19 councillorship seats in Etche
The Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) announced that Etche local government was the last to report results, as the collation process was still in progress when the first announcement of 22 winners from the APP was made.
Announcing the results for Etche LGA, which had been delayed in the collation process, Adolphus Enebeli, the Chairman of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), stated on Sunday that the AA defeated the APP in the election. He also mentioned that the APP won all 19 councillorship seats in that area.
The names of the winners of the just concluded LG elections are listed below.
Newly elected LG chairmen in Rivers State
TheRadar compiled the names of the newly elected LG chairmen below:
1. Dame Hon. Anengi Barasua Claude-Wilcox (Bonny LGA)
2. Harry Agiriye (Degema LGA)
3. Tonye Briggs-Oniyide ( Akuku-Toru LGA)
4. Brain Gokpa (Eleme LGA)
5. David Omereji (Emohua LGA)
6. Monday Dumiye (Gokana LGA)
7. Prince Isaac Umejuru (Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA)
8. Ogu/Bolo – Ishmael Oforibika
9. Chijioke Ihunwo – (Obio/Akpor LGA)
10. Promise Reginald (Omuma LGA)
11. Enyiada Cookey-Gam (Opobo/Nkoro LGA)
12. Igwe Achese (Okirika LGA)
13. Oyigbo – Gift Okere ( Oyigbo LGA)
14. Ezebunwo Ichemati (Port Harcourt)
15. Tai Matthew Nenubari Dike ( Opobo/Nkoro LGA)
16. Isreal Abosi (Ikwerre)
17. Lazarus Gogote Nteogwuile (Andoni)
18. Sule Amachree (Asari-Toru)
19. Martins Nwigbo (Khana)
20. Vincent Reuben Obu (Abua/Odual )
21. Iyekor Ikporo (Ahoada-West)
22. Chibudom Ezu (Ahoada-East)
23. AA’s Uzodinma Nwafor (Etche LGA)
Tension as Wike group allegedly mobilises youths to block new council chairmen’s access to offices
Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that the New council chairmen, sworn in by Governor Fubara, were faced with disruption.
Nyesom Wike's political group in Rivers State reportedly organised youths across the state to stop the newly elected chairmen from accessing their offices.