By Gideon Maxwell
October 7, 2024
The Action Peoples Party (APP) has been declared the winner of 22 out of 23 chairmanship positions in the Rivers State local government elections held on October 5, 2024.
Justice Adolphus Enebeli, Chairman of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), made the announcement on October 6 in Port Harcourt, noting that results for the Etche Local Government Area remain pending due to ongoing collation challenges.
However, later on Sunday, he announced Uzodinma Nwafor, candidate of the Action Alliance (AA), as the winner of the chairmanship seat of Etche LGA of Rivers state.
The elections were conducted across 6,866 polling units within 319 political wards, with participation from 18 political parties.
ALSO READ: How to persuade people to change their behaviour
RSIEC reported a significant voter turnout despite adverse weather conditions, with polls closing at 3:00 PM.
Enebeli emphasised that the election was largely peaceful and described it as “free, fair, credible, and transparent.”
Results and reactions
The APP candidates secured majority votes in two-thirds of their respective wards across the declared local government areas.
However, the results for Etche LGA were delayed due to its expansive landscape and the complexity of collating results from its 19 wards.
Enebeli expressed satisfaction with the electoral process, highlighting community engagement and collaboration with RSIEC staff.
Oppositions protests
Despite RSIEC’s assurances, both the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) raised concerns about the legitimacy of the elections.
PDP Chairman Aaron Chukwuemeka warned that any result declaration could incite violence, claiming that no election occurred as per court orders.
APC South-South Chairman, Victor Giadom, echoed similar sentiments, criticizing discrepancies in the electoral process.
Legal context
The elections proceeded despite a Federal High Court ruling that restrained INEC from providing voter registers to RSIEC.
Governor Siminalayi Fubara insisted on conducting the elections, citing a Supreme Court ruling mandating democratic governance at local levels.
Although police did not provide security for the elections, they were conducted in a largely peaceful atmosphere.
With the announcement of results for 22 chairmanship seats and ongoing scrutiny regarding Etche LGA, tensions remain high among political factions in Rivers State.
The RSIEC plans to publish detailed results on their website once all collation processes are complete.
