The Rivers State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has made a strong rebuttal against Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike, following his recent criticism of the local government elections that took place in the state.
During an interview on Channels TV, Wike expressed discontent with Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s decision to proceed with the elections on October 5, despite a court ruling that raised procedural concerns.
Wike’s grievances stem from a judgment delivered by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja. The court ruled that the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) had breached legal requirements by failing to issue the mandatory 90-day notice prior to the election date.
The ruling also prevented the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from providing voter registration details to the RSIEC and prohibited the Inspector General of Police and the Department of State Service (DSS) from providing security for the polls.
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This judgment was the result of a lawsuit initiated by the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), challenging the timing of the elections.
Despite the court’s ruling, Governor Fubara pushed forward with the election, which saw candidates aligned with the ruling party win 22 of the 23 local government areas (LGAs).
The elections were marred by violence, with clashes reported between supporters of Wike and Fubara.
Incidents of arson, including the burning of the Ikwerre Local Government secretariat, were attributed to Wike’s supporters, while gunfire erupted in other secretariats as political thugs attempted to obstruct newly elected council officials from accessing their offices.
In his first public response to the unfolding situation, Wike accused Fubara of undermining democracy by disregarding the court’s judgment.
He further alleged that Fubara’s intention to remove Hon. Martin Amaewhule, the Speaker of the House of Assembly, had exacerbated the ongoing turmoil.
In a rapid counterattack, the PDP in Rivers State urged Wike and his followers to seek judicial remedies if they disagreed with the election outcome.
Sydney Gbara, the party’s publicity secretary, expressed disbelief that those who had previously pushed for the election were now opposing it.
“No court judgment can halt an electoral process. If they are dissatisfied with the election, they should take their grievances to court post-election,” Gbara stated.
He reminded the public that conducting the local government elections was a key point of President Bola Tinubu’s 2023 peace proclamation and criticized Wike’s supporters for flip-flopping on their stance.
“At one point, they even directed the assembly to impeach Fubara if he failed to hold the elections. It’s surprising that now, when RSIEC announced the election timetable, they are trying to derail it,” he noted.
Gbara emphasized that Governor Fubara’s actions were in line with a Supreme Court ruling mandating elected local government chairpersons, stressing that the governor’s commitment to the electoral process positions him as a defender of democracy in Rivers State.
He declared, “Fubara will continue to be our hero for ensuring that democracy prevails in Rivers State. Innocent lives have been lost in attempts to disrupt the electoral process, but Rivers people are determined to move forward with Fubara.”