Generally, elections into the local government offices are fraught with criticisms bothering on their credibility. It is commonplace that the party in power often sweeps the polls, winning every position from Councilor to Vice Chairman and Chairman. It is regarded as an aberration for the opposition party to win any position. If by error of omission or commission, a member of the opposition wins a chairmanship seat, as once happened in Lagos State, such is reversed through the instrumentality of the tribunal.

Conduct of election into local government offices rarely meets the standard rules in an electoral contest. The State Electoral Commissions lack the independence required to conduct credible elections. They are tied to the apron string of the State Governments. And, the laws guiding the elections are made by the State Houses Assembly that are mostly seen as appendages to the governors’ offices despite by principle expected to be a separate arm of government that should provide oversight to the Executive arm of government.

Jocularly, it is being peddled on social media that Governor Fubara is the first Governor in Nigeria to have ever conducted free and fair elections where the opposition party swept the polls in all the local governments including his own. The reasons for this were not farfetched as the governor was not granted access to the structure of his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the State. He had to seek refuge or a working understanding in another party, the Action Peoples Congress to enable his loyalists to contest the elections.

Despite the shenanigans and hullabaloo, the local government elections were held in Rivers State on Saturday, October 5, 2024. The judiciary and the Nigerian Police Force came out bruised in the process. There were conflicting judgements by courts of coordinate jurisdiction, for and against the elections holding. The Nigerian Police chose to obey a Court Order asking them to stay away from activities that had to do with the elections. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise for Nigeria’s democratic experiment as the absence was not felt and the elections were largely peaceful.

Speaking at the swearing-in of the newly elected chairmen of the 23 local government areas of the state, at the Executive Chamber of the Government House, Port Harcourt, Governor Fubara said the outcome of the councils’ election marked the beginning of a new Rivers State. “Life is not about getting everything, if you try to get everything, you may lose everything. He admonished the newly elected chairmen to seize the opportunity of their election to serve the people adding that “the people are the structure”. Governor Fubara charged the newly elected Executives.

Governor of Bauchi State witnessing the ceremony

Curiously, the event was witnessed by the Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed who is also the Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum. Governor Fubara advised the new Chairmen: “I urge every chairman to embrace the spirit of service, work for the people, and maintain the peace and progress of our beloved state. Together, we will build a greater Rivers State as we ensure that this administration’s goals are met for the benefit of all”.

The governor thanked President Bola Tinubu for his role in the Rivers State local government elections. He said Tinubu gave them the requisite support for a successful exercise.

Important Lessons from Rivers State
Peaceful and successful elections could be held in Nigeria without the involvement of the Nigeria Police and other security agencies. The people protected their votes and ensured that the process was orderly and peaceful.

The elections were conducted using the voter register deployed in the 2023 general elections. Though the voter register should be updated for every person of eligible age to vote, where this is not possible, the last updated voter register could be used rather than not holding an election.

The Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission got its logistics right by ensuring that all electoral materials; sensitive and non-sensitive, were distributed on time and got to the voting units as and when due.

The RSIEC also adopted dual venues for the purpose of the collation of results. This turned out to be a masterstroke because the RSIEC secretariat was taken over by protesters who did not want the elections to be held. The exercise was immediately moved to the second venue which was within the premises of the Ministry of Justice which was protected by civilian security personnel.

Only the APP sponsored 23 local government chairmanship candidates and 319 councillorship candidates. LP and YPP sponsored about 30 percent of the required candidates for the 23 local government areas and 319 wards.

The Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission conducted elections in 2,405 polling units out of a total of 6,866 polling units. Yet they declared winners in all wards and local government areas.

All the men and women at the helms of affairs at the local government areas could never have dreamt of getting into those positions but for the fight that ensued between Governor Sim Fubara and former governor Wike. They are regarded as the second or third eleven in the regular order of things.

The differences between Governor Fubara and Nyesom Wike and the way things have turned out in the State may have ended Political godfatherism and the ultimate watering down of the influence of the former governor Nyesom Wike on the incumbent Governor Fubara. Wike was accused of being too overbearing.

Battle is Over But the War Continues

Ikwerre Local Government Area on Fire

The battle may have been won but the war is far from being over. The Police vacated the premises of the Local governments on Sunday based on the instruction of the Inspector General of the Police. The new Chairmen proceeded to take their seats on Monday morning but some of the offices were already gutted by fire. The Secretariat of the Ikwerre Local Government Area was seen in a video gutted by fire. Pro-Wike supporters also blocked the entrance into the Ogba/Egbemi/Ndoni preventing the newly elected Chairman from assuming office.

Questions are now being asked in Rivers State: Did the Police vacate the Secretariat to pave the way for this mayhem?