Governor Siminalayi Fubara yesterday swore in 23 newly elected local government chairmen in Rivers State at the Executive Council Chambers of the Government House in Port Harcourt.
This event followed Saturday’s grassroots elections conducted by the Rivers State Independent National Electoral Commission (RSIEC).
Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, who chairs the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum, was present at the ceremony. He expressed his satisfaction with the successful execution of the local government elections, attributing the achievement to divine support during a challenging period.
Fubara reassured Governor Mohammed of his continuing commitment to the PDP during his address. He emphasised that urgent circumstances often require decisive actions and highlighted how his administration, with public backing, aimed to rejuvenate the local government councils.
Fubara urged the new chairmen to adopt a service-oriented mindset rather than viewing themselves as authoritarian figures. He stressed the importance of development in the local government areas and reminded them that their primary responsibility lies with the people, who represent the proper political foundation.
Earlier that day, RSIEC issued certificates of return to the elected chairmen. In a notable outcome, the Action People’s Party (APP) secured 22 out of 23 chairmanship positions in the resource-rich state. At the same time, the declaration of results for the Etche Local Government Area was temporarily suspended due to ongoing collation processes.
RSIEC Chairman Adolphus Enebeli announced the election results on Saturday, indicating that the 319 councillorship seats and the Etche chairmanship results would be released once collations were finalised. However, a day after the elections, RSIEC declared Uzodinma Nwafor of the Action Alliance (AA) the winner in Etche LGA.
Enebeli characterised the elections as free, fair, and credible, praising the significant voter turnout despite various challenges. He commended the commitment of residents who participated in the electoral process.
Observers, including members of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), state electoral body chairpersons, and representatives from the Nigerian Bar Association, closely monitored the declaration of results. Enebeli noted the commission’s use of a bi-location principle to address its unique challenges during the elections.
