Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara has foiled an attempt by the Nigerian Police, led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations), to take over the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) at 1 AM on Friday.
In a video obtained by Channels Television, the policemen were alleged to have attempted to scale through the gates and strong room of the commission to allegedly cart away sensitive Electoral materials meant for the conduct of Saturday’s local government election in the State.
However, our correspondent gathered that vigilant security officials soon alerted principal officers of the commission and relevant government authorities, who immediately informed the governor of the development.
The video saw Governor Fubara alongside his team, including government officials, lawmakers from the National Assembly and State House of Assembly, top political stakeholders, and other leaders storm the facility.
Channels Television could hear voices in the background shouting “Move this thing! Illegal police! Illegal police! Thief! Thief!”
The governor and his team looked on while some of his supporters physically ‘attacked’ the vehicles lined up in front of the RSIEC office.
Some of the trucks were seen carrying an unspecified number of policemen.
At present, the Chief of Staff, the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, and State and National Assembly members, alongside other stakeholders, are manning the RSIEC office, to ensure that the policemen who came in two trucks and two Hilux vehicles do not return and that elections will hold as scheduled on Saturday
In a statement by the Rivers State Police Command on Wednesday, Spokesperson, SP Grace Iringe-Koko titled ‘Proposed October 5th, 2024 Local Government Chairman Election, confirmed receiving a restraining order preventing them from providing security during the LGA elections.
spokesperson, SP Grace Iringe-Koko titled ‘Proposed October 5th, 2024 Local Government Chairman Election.
In the statement, the police confirmed they received a restraining order preventing them from providing security during the LGA elections.
The development follows Fubara saying he regretted that his party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), would not participate in the October 5 Local Government Election.
Governor Fubara stated this on Thursday during a meeting with some stakeholders of the party at the Rivers State Government House in Port Harcourt.
He said the election has to be held on Saturday to comply with the three months of grace given by the Federal Government to begin the implementation of the Supreme Court judgment on local government autonomy.
Channels Television
