The recently conducted Local Government Elections in Rivers State have continued to raise a lot of controversies and reactions among Nigerians, groups and political parties.
#Muktv reports that Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, RSIEC, went on with the election despite widespread vehement opposition from notable Nigerians and stakeholders who believed it not only violates the Nigerian constitution but also makes a mockery of the country’s democracy.
Many Nigerians, especially those in the opposition and some analysts, believe the election was a plan to hand the state’s political structure to the APC and by extension President Bola Tinubu ahead of 2027.
Those holding this line of thought are irked that parts of the nation’s constitution were suspended to pave the way for the process, especially the mandatory notice as provided by the Electoral Act.
At the end of the controversial exercise, the commission announced that the All Progressives Congress, APC, which is supposed to be the main opposition in the state, won 20 local government areas in the exercise, while the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, secured only three.
Similarly, the APC won the councillorship election in 20 LGAs, while the PDP took three.
#Muktv notes that this marks the first time APC has gained dominance in Rivers State since the return of democracy in 1999.
Following the exercise which many have described as a scam, the sole administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok Ibas, retd, sworn in the newly elected chairmen of the state’s 23 local government councils.
#Muktv reports that the swearing-in ceremony took place at the Government House, shortly after the chairmen received their certificates of return from the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, RSIEC office.
RSIEC’s result said that APC’s Ofori Owolabi won the Abua/Odual LGA chairmanship seat. In Ahoada East, APC’s Solomon Achoma won.
Other APC winners are Eugene Cheta, Ahoada West; Bob Fubarab, Akuku Toru; Otua Promise, Andoni; George Onengiyeofori, Asari Toru; Pepple Blessing, Bonny LGA; Michael Williams, Degema; and Obarilomate Ollor, Eleme LGA; Lloyd Julius, Emohua.
Others are Njoku Chima, Etche; Confidence Deko, Gokana; Wobodo Charles, Ikwerre; Thomas Bariere, Khana; Dr. Gift Wodo, Obio/Akpor; Akuro Tobin, Okrika; Obasi Uchechukwu, Omuma; James A. James, Opobo/Nkoro; Okechukwu Nwogu, Oyigbo; and Okwe Mbakpone, Tai LGA – APC.
The three PDP winners are Chukwu Ogbodo, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni; Vincent Nimieboka, Ogu/Bolo LGA; and Sir Allwell Ihunda, Port Harcourt.
Despite reports of a statewide boycott of the election, over two million votes were announced by the organisers of the polls which was more than five times the votes cast in the 2023 presidential election in the state.
Former vice president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, said there were no local government elections in Rivers State.
Writing on X, Abubakar said the LG poll and its outcome was “an awful absurdity and a travesty to the very notion of elective democracy.”
He criticised the Tinubu administration over the manner the elections were conducted.
By the shameful and shambolic manner in which the occupation government went ahead to conduct local government elections in Rivers State, it is clear that the ruling APC party is not leaving anyone in doubt that it is prepared to throw caution to the wind to achieve an inordinate political advantage,” he said.
The Chief Executive Officer of TAF Africa, Jake Epelle, described the election as a democratic scam and totally unconstitutional which was done with 2027 in focus.
It’s unfortunate we’re living in interesting times, especially politically speaking, and what played out in Rivers State on Saturday can only be described as unprecedented political manoeuvring, which is sort of a sham, and what looks like a democratic scam.
I say that to buttress that point. I say that everything about this election that was held on Saturday was totally illegal and unconstitutional,” he said, describing it as a slap on the faces of Rivers people.
#Muktv reports that the suspended governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, was conspicuously absent during the election.
Apart from the governor, his key supporters, including Chief of Staff Edison Ehie, Secretary to the Government Tammy Danagogo, and other notable loyalists, were absent from their respective polling units during the election.
Similarly, the 23 former local government chairmen whom the Supreme Court sacked also shunned the election.
A source close to the governor told #Muktv that power has been taken from Fubara.
Most of the things happening today are parts of the agreement Wike and Fubara signed in the presence of Mr President.
“They have taken the power from the governor,” the source close to the governor of Rivers State told #Muktv.
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, recently hinted that the return of Fubara, on the 18th of September, 2025, is sacrosanct but some political observers are wondering what the governor would be returning to do, with all his powers taken from him.
Following the then so-called reconciliation between Fubara and Wike, Rufai Oseni and Reuben Abati of Arise TV said the governor had been arm-twisted.
“In the first place, the fight is about the state’s resources, now they have been able to arm-twist Fubara,” Rufai said.
For Abati, “What Fubara did was an unconditional surrender to exhibit his cowardice. What are the conditions of that surrender? We’d like to know.”
Followers of the political situation in Rivers State believe that the September 30 Local Government Election has answered Abati’s questions as to what were the conditions of Fubara’s surrender.
On Wike taking over the political structures in Rivers State, he said “All I can tell you is that an average Rivers politician only follows you when you have contracts or money to share and Wike is sharing the money now.
But, I refer you to the experiences of all those who distributed patronages like him, before now. Has all the transactional loyalties around them not expired? So, nobody owns any structures. It is pay as you go.”
Meanwhile, Wike, while speaking during a media parley on Monday, said the polls were legally conducted and commended by many for being free and fair.
Replying Peter Obi and Atiku, Wike stressed that the court has not declared the Rivers State local government election illegal.
He was optimistic that the election and its results would be upheld by the court.
