Welcome to the embattled Rivers State Local Government elections..
This is an update of what has happened and what’s currently happening in Rivers state….
Nigerians are condemning Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun for allegedly attempting to disrupt the upcoming local council election in Rivers State, scheduled for Saturday (today).
The controversy surrounds Egbetokun’s purported order to policemen from Imo State to break into the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) office and seize election materials.
Critics took to social media platforms, formerly Twitter, now X, to express their discontent and outrage over the alleged actions.
Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State early on Friday led top government officials and political leaders in the state to foil what was described as an attempt to steal election materials at the RSIEC headquarters in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
SaharaReporters, which is following the development, on Friday, reported how security operatives in the state successfully foiled the attempt.
It was gathered that the incident occurred around 1 a.m. when people dressed in police uniforms attempted to breach the commission’s premises.
According to eyewitnesses, the suspects tried to scale the gates and access the strong room where crucial materials for the upcoming local government election, scheduled for Saturday, were stored.
In response to the incident, Governor Fubara led a team of government officials, lawmakers from both the National Assembly and State House of Assembly, and other political stakeholders to the scene.
Speaking to reporters outside the RSIEC office on Aba Road in Port Harcourt, the governor condemned the attempted theft and praised the security forces for their prompt action.
Governor Fubara said, “The Inspector General of police should be ashamed of himself. I came here after learning that the police wanted to withdraw some policemen who had been stationed here.”
“They are saying elections will not hold here because of a court order. Which court order says election should not hold?” he asked.
He argued that the court did not say local government elections should not hold in the state.
“No court order says election should not hold in the state. Even the court order the police say it got from the federal high court only said the police should not provide security. We do not need your security, it happened in Anambra, enough is enough,” he stated.
Fubara also stated that he was ready to be shot by the police and fight till the very end, referring to the ongoing tussle in the state.
Reacting to the development, some took to their X accounts to criticise the IGP for his alleged role in the ongoing political crisis involving Governor Fubara and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
An X user, John Shuaibu, @john07jay, tweeted, “@OjyOkpe IGP will not be allowed to truncate democracy When a DCP wanted to break into Rvsiec office to steal election materials. Fubara foiled the attempt. I strongly believe it is at the behest of ‘ abuja’.
“Tinubu shld call Wike and IGP to order now!”
@Big_Sinodu wrote, “The police is not our friend in Rivers State.
“They are tools to make Rivers people hungry. They want civil servants not to be paid. They want pension not to be paid.
“They are working with Wike to stop the allocation of Rivers State.”
Another X user, Prince of Peace, @Ihekente, wrote, “@Princemoye1 is that what Wike has reduced our respected @PoliceNG to under the supervision of the current IGP?
“This is shameful n condemnable, a professional n respected man in the person of the IGP reduced himself to be executing Wike’s devilish orders?
“Posterity will judge.”
However….. Today, the Governor has obviously gone ahead to conduct the LGA elections as planned…
Let’s go….
Rivers State LGA election have already commenced .
We need to commend the proactiveness of the electoral body, RSIEC.
INEC need to keenly observe and learn how things are best done.
Kudos RSIEC…. Rivers resident wrote.
Stay tuned…. We shall be bringing more