Rivers LG Polls: “No Court Judgment Restraining Us”- State INEC

The Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) insists that the forthcoming local government elections to be held on October 5, 2024, has not been stopped by any court judgment.

This confirmation was made by the Chairman of the Commission, Justice Adolphus Enebeli (retd.), on Tuesday in the state capital, Port Harcourt.

While overseeing a training session for master trainers of RSIEC staff, Enebili insisted that elections will go ahead as scheduled.

His comments come in light of comments made by the Chairman of the Caretaker Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers, Chief Tony Okocha, who held that the election will not hold because it was being ruled on in court.

Neusroom gather that a faction of the APC led by the reinstated state party Chairman, Chief Emeka Beke, recently expressed desire for the party to contest at the polls.

This comes after the APC had already decided against aprticipation in the election.

Despite the squabbles within the APC in Rivers, the state INEC Chairman insists that the election will go ahead as planned.

Enebeli insisted that 18 of the 19 registered political parties will be particpating at the polls.

“There is no court judgment restraining us from conducting the elections,” Enebeli declared, further citing a recent Supreme Court ruling that mandates the conduct of democratically elected local government councils across all states.

“On July 11 this year, the Supreme Court of Nigeria, the highest court in the land, delivered a clear and comprehensive judgment that local government elections should be democratically conducted in all states yet to do so. The consequences for failing to adhere are obvious. Therefore, both the people of Rivers and the Federal Government are eagerly anticipating this election,” he stated.

Enebili went to stress that the Supreme Court had given its nod on the election.

“Section 60, subsection 2 of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Law of 2018 provides that no court proceedings shall restrain the conduct of primaries or elections. INEC is obliged to register voters for RSIEC elections.

“There is no legal impediment, and the Supreme Court has confirmed that we should conduct these elections. By the grace of God, October 5, 2024, remains sacrosanct,” the RSIEC Chairman said.