Rivers State Governor Fubara Announces Public Holidays and Travel Restrictions for Local Government Elections
Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has proclaimed Thursday, October 3, and Friday, October 4, 2024, as public holidays to facilitate travel for residents going to their communities for local government elections set to occur on Saturday, October 5.
In a statewide address from the Government House in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, Governor Fubara also instituted a strict prohibition on vehicular movement, starting at midnight on Friday, October 4, and lasting until 5 p.m. on Election Day. This move aims to ensure the elections are conducted smoothly.
Fubara’s announcement was relayed in a statement from his Chief Press Secretary, Nelson Chukwudi, which outlined the governor’s rationale following the expiration of the three-year terms for the Chairmen and Councilors of the 23 Local Government Councils on June 17, 2023. In the interim, Fubara appointed Caretaker Committees to manage the councils until elections could be organized by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC).
The governor underscored a Supreme Court ruling from July 2024 that declared the governance of local councils by unelected officials unconstitutional. This judgement mandated an immediate suspension of statutory allocations to councils lacking democratically elected representatives.
“Thanks to Mr. President’s intervention, the timeframe for adherence to the Supreme Court’s ruling was extended by three months, with a deadline of October 31, 2024,” said Fubara. He urged the RSIEC to finalize plans for the upcoming local government elections, affirming that the electoral body has completed all necessary arrangements.
The governor highlighted that the legal authority of RSIEC to conduct these elections received further backing from a Rivers State High Court ruling on September 4, 2024, which mandated the use of the 2023 Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Voter Register.
Fubara noted that 17 out of the 18 registered political parties, including the All Progressives Congress, have confirmed their participation in the elections by submitting candidates. “More than 10 states have successfully conducted local government elections utilizing the 2023 INEC Voter Register since the Supreme Court ruling, and Rivers State should not be an exception,” he emphasized.
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