Rivers Governor Slams Police Over Election Disruption Attempt

Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s Surprise at Police Actions in Local Government Election

Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara expressed surprise and concern on Friday at the actions of the police in allegedly attempting to invade the premises of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) to disrupt the planned Local Government election on Saturday. The governor, who spoke during a media briefing at the government house in Port Harcourt, said the move was surprising because he had previously received information indicating that the police intended to withdraw from the local government elections.

Fubara questioned why Rivers State is being singled out, especially with what he described as an undue focus on an electoral body that falls under state jurisdiction. He emphasized that the court ruling from Abuja had only instructed the police not to provide security, and not to seal the RSIEC premises or interfere with the elections. According to him, the ruling from the Rivers State High Court should take precedence, as it was issued first.

The governor urged the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to be ready to take responsibility for any disruptions, warning that any attempt by individuals or groups to stop the elections would be firmly resisted. Fubara reaffirmed that the elections would go ahead as scheduled, and the elected officials would be sworn in. “We are prepared, we are prepared,” he stated.

Fubara and his team stormed the RSIEC early Friday, where he allegedly stopped police from ‘carting away’ election materials. He explained that before the election process, a formal request for protection was sent to the National Security Adviser, the IGP, the Department of State Services (DSS), and other security agencies, along with a copy of the Rivers State High Court judgment.

The governor downplayed the importance of police presence, noting that they were not required to be near polling units. He expressed confidence that other security agencies could fulfill the role of maintaining law and order in the absence of the police.