By kawaekwune Jeffrey
The atmosphere in Rivers State remains charged with tension and anxiety less than 24 hours before the local government election scheduled to be held on Saturday, October 5th.
This is as Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State reported that he successfully prevented a late-night attempt by individuals suspected to be affiliated with the police from seizing control of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) office in the early hours of Friday, October 4, 2024.
In a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Nelson Chukwudi, Fubara accused the police of attempting to break into the RSIEC strong room to confiscate sensitive materials intended for the upcoming local government elections.
He also accused the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, of ordering the deployment.
He said he was alerted of the alleged plot and he immediately led a delegation of top officials, including lawmakers from the National and State Assemblies, to the RSIEC office to prevent the unlawful takeover.
Addressing journalists outside the commission’s office in Port Harcourt, Fubara condemned the alleged actions of the police, stating: “The IGP is taking his relationship with certain politicians in Abuja too far.”
Fubara emphasized the constitutional role of states in conducting local elections, saying, “Local government elections are purely state affairs, and the IGP must allow states to manage their internal issues without federal interference.”
The New Diplomat reports that this is coming amid palpable tension in Rivers following the raging war and supremacy battle between Fubara, the incumbent governor of Rivers State and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, who is also a two-term governor of Rivers State.
The battle has escalated to the upcoming local government election as the two heavyweights fight dirty for control of the grassroots.
