No going back on Rivers LG poll, says RSIEC

The Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission has stated that all is now set for the local government election.

A recent Federal High Court ruling had barred the Independent National Electoral Commission from releasing the voters register to RSIEC for the local election.

The court, presided over by Justice Peter Lifu ruled that RSIEC had breached legal protocols.

The state police command had stated that it would not provide security for the exercise, citing a court order.

However, in a statement late Friday, RSIEC Commissioner for Civil Education/Public Affairs Tobin Tamunotonye, said the election will go on as scheduled.

The statement read, “For the avoidance of doubt, we emphasize unequivocally that the 5th October 2024 Local Government Council Election in Rivers State will hold as scheduled, and there is no going back.”

Quoting the RSIEC LAW of 2018 and the judgment of Justice I.P.C. Igwe of the High Court of Rivers State delivered on September 4, 2024, and the 1999 Constitution, RSIEC said it is empowered to conduct local government elections in the state.

The commission disclosed that it has transported non-sensitive materials to polling units across the state, and the updated 2023 voter registers have been made available at all 6,366 polling units.

RSIEC described the polls as “critical and in line with the order on RSIEC from the Supreme Court of Nigeria,” and emphasised that “voting centres will be open on time as scheduled as materials have been moved to the respective distribution points for all the polling unit and voters registers also released to election staff.”

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The commission also dismissed claims about the resignation of its Chairman, Justice Adolphus Enebeli (retd.).

“The above claim is mischievously false, baseless, and a fabricated lie from the pit of Hell calculated to mislead the public. For the avoidance of doubt the Chairman /Chief Electoral Commissioner is still in charge and has not resigned as maliciously circulated across the media space,” the statement added.