The governor also placed a ban on vehicular movement between midnight on Friday and 5:00pm on Saturday.

Gov. Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers has declared Thursday and Friday as public holidays ahead of the October 5 local government council elections in the state.

Fubara who announced this during a broadcast on Wednesday, said that the holidays would enable residents of the state to prepare for the election.

The governor also placed a ban on vehicular movement between midnight on Friday and 5:00 pm on Saturday. He said that the council poll complied with the Supreme Court’s judgment which ordered elections to be conducted in local government councils across the country.

“It was on the strength of this judgement that I directed the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission to take steps towards conducting council elections,” he said.

Fubara urged Rivers people to conduct themselves peacefully and orderly during the exercise to ensure success. He also urged security agencies to ensure strict adherence to law and order during the election.