Ikeagwuonu Ugochinyere, a member of the house of representatives, has alleged a plot to stop the planned local government election in Rivers.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Ugochinyere claimed that members of the camp loyal to Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), are approaching the courts to bar the conduct of the local government poll.
BACKGROUND
On October 5, 2024, the Rivers government conducted local government elections in the state.
The LGA election was won by the Action People’s Party (APP), which secured victory in 22 LGAs, while the Action Alliance (AA) won in one LGA.
The buildup to the Rivers LGA poll was trailed by controversy with conflicting court orders and pushback from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
On September 4, a high court in Rivers state held that RSIEC could conduct the LGA election using the 2023 voter register.
But on September 30, a federal high court in Abuja barred the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from releasing the voter register to RSIEC.
The court also barred the inspector-general of police and the Department of State Services (DSS) from providing security for the elections.
Despite the federal high court ruling and the withdrawal of security personnel, the elections were held.
On February 28, the supreme court nullified the elections.
A five-member panel of the apex court ruled in favour of an appeal filed by the APC.
In its lead judgment delivered by Jamilu Tukur, the apex court held that there was no evidence to show that the conditions set out in section 150(3) of the Electoral Act had been met before the electoral umpire conducted the polls.
Subsequently, the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) announced August 9, 2025, for the conduct of fresh LGA elections in the state.
‘THEY ARE RUNNING TO COURT’
The lawmaker representing Ideato north/Ideato south federal constituency of Imo alleged that beyond the plot to halt the LGA election, Rivers assembly members loyal to Wike are planning to amend the law to reinstate council chairpersons removed before the October polls.
“Election has been fixed for August 9th. While the indigenes are preparing for elections that the supreme court ordered to be re-conducted, the Wike group is running around looking for an injunction to stop the conduct of the election,” he said.
“Like they did before running around to amend the local government law to frustrate the election. He’s now running around again to say that those former chairmen whose tenure has expired should come back.
“They are running again to court, looking for injunction to stop a legitimate election that the supreme court ordered.
“They are running around in their hideout to amend the local government law in the middle of the election to get former local government chairmen who left years back to come back.”
The PDP chieftain said the LGA polls would be held as scheduled, adding that any attempt to “destabilise” the state would be resisted.
Ugochinyere also alleged a “plot” to prevent the PDP from holding its convention this year.
The convention is a conference of the party where members of the national working committee (NWC) are elected.(The Cable)
