Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State has assured that Saturday’s local government election in the state will hold and that no legal encumbrance would derail it.
The governor urged political parties and their candidates for various positions in the election as well as the electorate to prepare for it.
Fubara spoke when he visited the complex of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) where he interacted with its Chairman, Justice Adolphus Enebeli, and other principal workers.
He said: “Our election will hold on October 5 and I’m aware that RSIEC told me that they already had an order mandating them to conduct the election on October 5, and the security agencies (are ready) to support them.
“So, I think with that order, the election will hold. I might not be a lawyer, but I know there is something they call first-in-hand. Since they have the first-in-hand, we will give them all the necessary support for that election to be conducted. It will be one of the best elections ever conducted free and fair in this state.”
Addressing RSIEC’s workers, Fubara said he had been inundated with rumours of plans by some people to disrupt activities at the commission.
The governor warned such people to retrace their steps.
Fubara said: “What is important to me is the interest of Rivers State. That has to be alive. It doesn’t belong to anybody. I don’t care who nominated you, but do the right thing. That is what is important to me, because if we make a mistake today, it is going to live with us forever.
“Nobody has a right to come here. This is Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission. It belongs to Rivers State, and I am the governor. So, if there is anything, let me know. I will come here myself.”
Also, a Federal High Court in Abuja has issued an order restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from releasing the voters’ register to the RSIEC for the conduct of October 5 local government election in Rivers State.
In a judgment delivered yesterday, Justice Peter Lifu also barred the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the Department of the State Services (DSS) from participating and providing security for the conduct of the local government poll.
The court had earlier issued similar orders in an interlocutory ruling.
The judgment was on a suit filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) challenging the legality or otherwise of the processes leading to fixing of October 5 for the election.
The plaintiff was represented by a team of lawyers comprising Joseph Daudu, Sebastine Hon, and Ogwu Onoja, all SANs.
Justice Lifu held that the RSIEC was wrong in fixing October 5 for the conduct of the poll when all relevant laws guiding the election had not been complied with.
The judge also held that the Rivers State electoral body violated provisions of the local government election law by failing to publish the mandatory 90 days’ notice before fixing the date.
He further held that the update and revision of voters’ register by INEC ought to have been concluded 90 days before an election date would be legally and validity fixed in law.
Justice Lifu ordered INEC to comply with all relevant laws before making the certified voters’ register available to RSIEC.
He barred RSIEC from accepting any voters’ register from INEC or using it for the October 5 local government poll.
Yesterday’s court order has thrown the state into confusion.
It is said to be in conflict with an order issued by the State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, which mandated the RISIEC, the state government, and Governor Fubara to conduct the October 5 local government election.
The order was made in a suit filed by the Action Peoples Party (APP) against RISIEC, the state government and the governor.
