Fubara Addresses Rivers People, Insists 5th October LG Election Must Hold

By Chibuike Nwabuko

PORT HARCOURT – Rivers State Governor, Sim Fubara on Wednesday addressed the good people of Rivers State, insisting that the local government elections scheduled to hold on the 5th of October 2024 by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), must hold as planned in line with the cinstititional provision.

Fubara further stated that the resolve to go on with the October 5th election is further strengthened by the judgment of the Rivers State High Court in Suit No: PHC/2696/CS/2024 delivered on the 4th of September 2024, which positively directed the Governor of Rivers State, the Government of Rivers State and the RSIEC to conduct the scheduled local government elections on the 5th of October 2025 using the 2023 Independent National Electoral Commission’s Voters Register already in the custody of RSIEC.

Governor Fubara therefore directed the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) to take definite steps to conduct local government elections for the 23 local Government Councils of Rivers State, stressing that 17 out of 18 registered political parties, including the All Progressives Congress (APC), have expressly and actively demonstrated their willingness to participate by filling candidates with RSIEC for the election.

The full address reads:

STATE BROADCAST BY HIS EXCELLENCY SIR SIMINALAYI FUBARA GSSRS ON RIVERS STATE LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS SCHEDULED FOR 5TH OCTOBER 2024.

My dear people of Rivers State

Following the expiration of the three-year tenure of the Chairmen and Councilors of the 23 Local Government Councils on the 17th of June 2023, I lawfully instituted Caretaker Committees to temporarily administer the 23 Local Government Areas pending when the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) would conduct the Local Government Elections in the State.

2. However, to entrench sustainable democracy and good governance in the country’s local government system, the Supreme Court of Nigeria by its judgement in SC/CV/343/2024: A-G Federation v A-G Abia State and 35 Ors delivered on 11 July 2024 effectively outlawed the administration of our local government councils with unelected officers and made several orders including the immediate stoppage of statutory allocations to Local Government Councils without democratically elected local government councils.
3. Following Mr President’s intervention, the period for compliance with the Supreme Court’s judgment was graciously extended by three months, which will expire on the 315 of October 2024.
4. On the strength of these positive developments, I directed the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) to take definite steps to conduct local government elections for the 23 local Government Councils of Rivers State.
5. Acting per this directive the RSIEC has since fixed and concluded all arrangements to conduct the Local Government Council election on Saturday 5th October 2024.
6. The legal impetus of RSIEC to conduct the local government elections was further strengthened by the judgment of the Rivers State High Court in Suit No: PHC/2696/CS/2024 delivered on the 4th of September 2024, which positively directed the Governor of Rivers State, the Government of Rivers State and the RSIEC to conduct the scheduled local government elections on the 5th of October 2025 using the 2023 Independent National Electoral Commission’s Voters Register already in the custody of RSIEC.
7. As of today, RVSIEC has expressed and demonstrated concrete and verifiable capacity and readiness to conduct the 2024 Rivers State
   Local Government Elections on the 5th of October 2024.
8. As of today, 17 out of 18 registered political parties, including the All Progressives Congress, have expressly and actively demonstrated their willingness to participate by filling candidates with RSIEC for the election.
9. As of today, over 10 States in Nigeria have conducted Local Government Council Elections using the 2023 INEC Voters’ Register since the Supreme Court’s judgment and Rivers State cannot be an exception.
10. As the Governor of Rivers State, I swore to uphold the Constitution of Nigeria and abide by the rule of law and the principles of democracy.
11. Any failure on our part to conduct the Local Government election would be a clear disobedience of the Supreme Court’s mandatory order that no State Government must administer the Local Government
    Councils in Nigeria with unelected officers with the attendant consequence of the State and the people being denied the statutory allocations due to the 23 local government areas of the State.
12. The Rivers State Government would also be acting in contempt of the judgment of the High Court of Rivers State in Suit No:
    PHC/2696/CS/2024, which restrains the Governor, the State Government, and RSIEC from scuttling the conduct of the local government elections scheduled for October 5th, 2024.
13. Consequently, on the strengths of the provisions of the Constitution of Nigeria, as amended, the Supreme Court Judgment in SC/CV/343/2024, and the judgment of the High Court of Rivers State in Suit No: PHC/2696/CS/2024, I hereby reiterate that the Rivers State Government is irrevocably committed to conducting the local government elections on the 5th day of October 2024.