By Kevin Pepple
In what appears to be motivation for citizen’s to participate in Saturday 5th October Local Government elections, Rivers State governor, Sir. Siminalayi Fubara has announced Thursday and Friday a work free day in the state.
In a statewide broadcast Wednesday evening, Sir. Fubara said the State Electoral Commission is ready to conduct the elections as a constitutional requirement for local government councils.
“To this end, I hereby declare Thursday and Friday, the 3rd and 4th of October 2024 as public holidays for citizens to travel to their communities and participate in the election”, the governor said.
He urged all registered voters to go to their polling units to exercise their franchise by voting for the candidates of their choice as security personnel would be there to maintain order and ensure peaceful polls as a matter of constitutional duty.
In addition, the governor evoked his executive powers by placing a total restriction on vehicular and human movements into, within, and out of the State, and the Local Government Areas, from midnight of Friday 4th October 2024 to 5.00 p.m. on Saturday 5th October 2024, except for persons and vehicles valid identifications who are on election and other essential duties
The elections he further averred will entrench good governance at the grassroot, while citing the Supreme Court judgement which outlawed Caretaker Committees.
Fubara said the compliance to the apex court decision and agreement held with the Federal Government is what the elections seek to achieve, as anything short of the three months window given may affect the legality of the caretaker committees.
Said he,”Following the expiration of the three-year tenure of the Chairmen and Councilors of the 23 Local Government Councils on the 17th of June 2023, I lawfully instituted Caretaker Committees to temporarily administer the 23 Local Government Areas pending when the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) would conduct the Local Government Elections in the State”.
On the conflicting directives by courts on the LG elections, the Rivers State governor opined that the legal impetus empowering the State Electoral Commission(RSIEC) to conduct the elections was based on legal backing by the court, “the legal impetus of RSIEC to conduct the local government elections was further strengthened by the judgment of the Rivers State High Court in Suit No: PHC/2696/CS/2024 delivered on the 4th of September 2024, which positively directed the Governor of Rivers State, the Government of Rivers State and the RSIEC to conduct the scheduled local government elections on the 5th of October 2025 using the 2023.”
Already he stated that contrary to views by detractors the Independent National Electoral Commission’s Voters Register has been obtained by RSIEC.
Assuring that RSIEC has expressed and demonstrated concrete and verifiable capacity and readiness to conduct the 2024 Rivers State
Local Government Elections on the 5th of October 2024.
So far, he disclosed that 17 out of 18 registered political parties, including the All Progressives Congress(APC)have expressly and actively demonstrated their willingness to participate by filling candidates with RSIEC for the election.
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