Omiete Blessing
A political pressure group under the aegis of Voters Integrity Group of Nigeria (VIGN) has called for the dissolution of the recently elected chairmen and councillors of the 23 Local Government Councils of Rivers State.
The group alleged that the LG polls that brought the council chairmen and councillors was abnormally conducted.
In a press statement signed by the publicity secretary of the group, Victor Ubi, and made available to journalists in Port Harcourt, alleged that the election was in disobedience to court order retraining the conduct of the poll.
Ubi alleged that the State governor and the Rivers State Government disobeyed the Court order restraining the conduct of local government elections in the state, pending the decision of the court in matter bothering on the leadership of the State LG Councils.
The group further alleged that “there was no voting integrity in the last election in Rivers State, based on principles; people were seen going about their businesses on election day, taxi and bus drivers and other motorist were moving around even with the restriction.of movement, no security.
“Where was the elections result collated? Was it done by the independent electoral commission? or was it collated at the government house?”, they questioned.
Comparing Rivers election to other states LGA polls, the group said “Some states like Akwa Ibom State also did elections same day with Rivers State. In the local government of Senator Godswill Akpabio, somebody won from APC in a PDP controlled State. This goes a long way to show transparency because it was not done in a Government House.
The case of Etche Local Government where an unpopular candidate said to have won in the 19 wards was laughable, clear testimony that there was no elections in Rivers State, is surprising.”
The group however, urged “The Executive Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, as a matter of emergency and national harmony for the dissolution of the current Chairmen and counsellors of the 23 Local Government in Rivers State”, stating that “there was no meritocracy in the last election in Rivers State”.