Police stop officers from providing security for Rivers local government election

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has stopped officers from providing security for the conduct of the local government election in Rivers State.

In a statement dated October 3, 2024, but posted on Facebook around 1 a.m. on Friday, the police spokesperson in the state, Grace Iringe-Koko, said the action complied with the Federal High Court order.

Citing two Federal High Court orders of 19 July and 30 September, Mrs Iringe-Koko, a superintendent of police, said the police in Rivers have been advised by its legal department to comply with the order.

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“Additionally, on September 30, 2024, the Federal High Court in Abuja delivered a judgment that again prohibited the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies from participating in the Local Government Election.

“Given these circumstances, the Nigeria Police Force has been advised by the Force Legal Department that the ruling from the Federal High Court on September 30, 2024, takes precedence.

“The Nigeria Police Force is dedicated to maintaining law and order and will not stand idly by in the face of potential disturbances. Necessary actions will be taken to enforce the court’s orders. All Area Commanders, Divisional Police Officers, and Tactical Commanders have been directed to ensure full compliance with the judgment of the Federal High Court,” the police said.

The Rivers LG election is scheduled for Saturday, October 5, 2024.

There has been palpable tension in Rivers due to the prolonged turf war between Siminalayi Fubara, governor of Rivers; and Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT).

The local government election is now being viewed in both camps as a referendum on who really controls the grassroots.

The Wike camp is seemingly opposed to the conduct of the election on Saturday.

On September 30, 2024, a federal high court in Abuja barred the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from releasing the 2023 voter register to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC).

The court also barred the inspector-general of police and the Department of State Services (DSS) from providing security for the exercise.

On October 2, 2024, INEC said it had not released the voter register to RSIEC for the conduct of the election, in deference to the judgment of the federal high court.

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On October 3, 2024, a crowd besieged the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) secretariat in Port Harcourt, the Rivers state capital, to protest against the planned local government election.

However, Fubara has vowed to proceed with the election and has declared Thursday and Friday as public holidays.

Fubara stated that the election would be held to prevent the state from defaulting on the Supreme Court’s judgement, which barred the federal government from funding local governments run by appointed officials.

President Tinubu had extended the date of the judgement implementation to October. Failure to conduct the local elections means local government workers may no longer get their salaries, Mr Fubara argued.

Besides the Supreme Court order, Governor Fubara also said RSIEC has an order from a High Court in the state to go ahead with the election, the basis of the governor said the election will be held on Saturday as scheduled.

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