The Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) has declared that the local government election will hold as scheduled on Saturday, October 4, 2024 across the 23 local government areas of the State.

RSIEC Commissioner in charge of Civic Education and Public Affairs, Tamunotonye Tobins made this declaration on Friday, October 4, 2024 via a statement tagged “RIVERS VOTES TOMORROW”, he personally signed and made available to the Media in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.   

“For the avoidance of doubt, we emphasize unequivocally that the 5th October, 2024 Local Government Council Elections in Rivers State will hold as scheduled and there is no going back.”

“The RSIEC wishes to inform the public that we have concluded a critical aspect of tomorrow’s election which climaxed with our successful distribution of non-sensitive materials and election logistics mobilization ahead of voting tomorrow.”

According to him, the Voters Register has been posted across all 6,366 polling units in the State, non-sensitive materials have been transported across the State, just as political party cards required for the election have also been released to the participating political parties.

“The non-sensitive materials for the Saturday, 5th October, local Government poll has since been transported across the State.

“It is also imperative to note that the 2023 updated Voters Registers have been posted across all the 6366 polling units in all the 23 Local Government of Rivers State.

“Political party cards have been released and that is as required for the election.”

“The voting centers will be open on time as scheduled as materials have been moved to the respective distribution points for all the polling unit and voters registers also released to election staff.”

He appealed to relevant stakeholders to work in synergy to ensure people exercise their franchise, noting that the election is critical to aligning the State with the decision of the Supreme Court on effectively entrenching local government autonomy at the grassroots.

“As Rivers people heads to polls in the next few hours, we implore all candidates, supporters and the general public to exercise their franchise in strict compliance with the Electoral law.”

“This election is critical and in line with the order on RSIEC from the Supreme Court of Nigeria to ensure the conduct of the election, the RSIEC LAW of 2018 and the Judgment of Hon. Justice I.P.C. Igwe of the High Court of Rivers State delivered on 4 September, 2024, and the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended empowering us to conduct the Local Government Council election in Rivers State, as do other States of the Federation.”

He equally debunked the rumours making the rounds that the Chairman and Chief Electoral Commissioner, Justice Adolphus Enebeli has resigned, describing such rumour as “mischievously false, baseless and a fabricated lie from the pit of Hell calculated at misleading the public”.

“The attention of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission has been drawn to a spurious information making the rounds that the Chairman/Chief Electoral Commissioner, Hon Justice Adolphus Enebeli DSSRS (RTD) has resigned.

“The above claim is mischievously false, baseless and a fabricated lie from the pit of Hell calculated at misleading the public. For the avoidance of doubt the Chairman /Chief Electoral Commissioner is still in charge and has not resigned as maliciously circulated across the media space.”