Tension in Rivers as PDP protesters storm DSS office, govt house over LG polls

Hundreds of the Rivers State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members have staged a protest march to the Department of State Security office and the Government House in Port Harcourt the Rivers state capital.

The protesters are aggrieved over the plan by the state government to proceed with the Local Government elections scheduled for Saturday, October 5, 2024.

The larger number of protesters, who initially gathered at the PDP secretariat earlier on Thursday, caused a traffic snarl on the route to the secretariat and adjoining roads.

Security operatives were later deployed to the scene to forestall a breakdown of law and order but struggled to control the boisterous crowd.

Some protesters were seen hoisting placards and banners with different inscriptions while chanting solidarity songs and slogans as they ran along the highway.

Some of the displayed placards read ”TAI people say no to lawlessness. Say no to LGA election. RSIEC must obey court judgment. SIM must obey court judgment.”

PDP protesters march to DSS office

Taking off from the PDP secretariat along Aba Road in Port Harcourt, they headed down to the DSS facility at Old GRA where they submitted a protest petition before proceeding to the Government House.

They were accompanied on the march by members of the Tony Okocha-led All Progressives Congress (APC).

Some stakeholders spotted among the crowd were former LGA chairmen, members of the House of Representatives, and former chief of staff at Government House loyal to the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.

Speaking at the DSS office, a PDP chieftain, Aron Chukwuemeka, said the major reason for the protest was to express disapproval of the October 5 local government elections.

Recall a Federal High Court in Abuja recently prohibited the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from releasing the 2023 Voter Register to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) for the proposed election.

Speaking at a press briefing in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Johnson Alalibo, said RSIEC had applied for the Register but was yet to be released to them due to administrative reasons.

Alalibo further confirmed that the commission received the court judgement from Abuja barring INEC from releasing the register to RSIEC.