ARTICLE AD
The Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) has announced that local government elections will be held on October 5.
This announcement comes amid a local government succession crisis fueled by the conflict between Governor Siminialayi Fubara and the Martins Amaewhule-led lawmakers who are loyal to the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.
The Governor has appointed caretaker committees to manage the local government areas, despite the ousted chairmen loyal to Wike continuing to claim their positions due to a six-month tenure extension granted by the Amaewhule-led lawmakers.
To prevent violent clashes, the police have taken control of all 23 local government secretariats in the state, pending the forthcoming judgment from the Court of Appeal.
With this disclosure of plans to conduct the LGA election in line with the state government’s earlier announcement, Wike’s men who were sacked earlier have lost the ground to return to their posts even as Fubara’s men are in power at the various LGA which gives them an advantage ahead of the polls.