This was disclosed by Justice Adolphus Enebeli (retd.), the chairman of the state electoral commission, during a stakeholders’ meeting in Port Harcourt, the state capital on Wednesday, March 5.
Enebeli explained that the reason for the decision was due to the Supreme Court judgment on Friday, February 28, which nullified the local government election that the commission conducted on Saturday, October 5, 2024.
The electoral chairman explained that the new date was in line with Section 5 of the RSIEC Law No. 2 of 2018, and other provisions that the commission operates within. He added that the commission had provided guidelines for political parties, stipulated rules and procedures for campaigns ahead of the poll.
His statement reads in part:
Before the Supreme Court judgment, the Action Peoples Party (APP) won the 23 local government chairmanship and all the councillorship seats in the state. While the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the leading opposition secure no seat in the poll.
There are reports that the APP is the party backed by Governor Siminalayi Fubara, which was the reason the APP dominated all the seats in the state. The APC, which withdrew from the poll, has challenged the process of the election and was favoured with the Supreme Court verdict.
The Supreme Court reaffirmed the legitimacy of the Martin Chike Amaewhule-led Rivers state house of assembly on Friday, February 28, 2025, judgement.
The judgment had intensified the ongoing political crisis between Governor Fubara and the lawmakers loyal to his predecessor and Federal Capital Territory’s minister, Nyesom Wike. The apex court held that the state allocation should be seized.
Following the Supreme Court judgment, the assembly exercised its authority and had its first sitting on Monday, March 3, 2025. The lawmakers then issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Governor Fubara, noting that their 12-week recess would commence on March 7.
Source: TimesNow.com.ng
