On Friday, angry protesters stormed the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) office, demanding that the upcoming local government elections must take place as scheduled. Despite heavy rainfall, the protesters set up canopies, blocked part of the road, and chanted slogans insisting, “Election must hold,” while drumming and singing.
The protest followed an earlier visit by the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, to the RSIEC premises, where he expressed outrage over the Rivers State Police Command’s attempt to halt Saturday’s election. Fubara rejected the police’s involvement, declaring, “Keep your security, I do not need it. It happened in Anambra State. This election must hold on Saturday. The result will be declared, and the winners will be sworn in.”
In the early hours of Friday, security operatives thwarted an attempt by individuals disguised in police uniforms to break into the RSIEC office. These individuals reportedly tried to gain access to the strong room to steal sensitive electoral materials intended for the Saturday election. The incident occurred around 1 a.m., but vigilant security officials alerted the commission and the state government, prompting Governor Fubara to intervene swiftly.
This comes after the Rivers State Police Command announced the withdrawal of their personnel from the election, citing a Federal High Court ruling. Despite this, protesters and the state government remain determined that the election will proceed as planned.
