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Rivers: Fubara Declares Thursday, Friday As Public Holiday Ahead of LG Election
The Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, has declared Thursday, October 3, and Friday, October 4, as public holidays in preparation for the upcoming local government elections in the state.
In a statewide address on Wednesday, Fubara emphasized his government’s commitment to upholding the Constitution of Nigeria, adhering to the rule of law, and promoting democratic principles.
He noted that failing to conduct the local government elections would be a violation of the Supreme Court’s directive, which mandates that no state government may administer local councils with unelected officials.
Fubara assured residents that his administration has allocated the necessary resources to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) to facilitate the elections. The two public holidays are intended to allow citizens to return to their communities and actively participate in the elections scheduled for Saturday, October 5.
Additionally, Fubara announced that vehicular movement would be restricted from midnight on Friday, October 4, until 5 PM on Election Day.
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In his broadcast, he stated: “My dear people of Rivers State, following the expiration of the three-year tenure of the chairpersons and councilors of the 23 Local Government Councils on June 17, 2023, I legally instituted caretaker committees to temporarily administer these areas until the RSIEC could conduct the elections.
“To foster sustainable democracy and good governance at the local level, the Supreme Court of Nigeria, in its ruling on July 11, 2024, prohibited the administration of local councils with unelected officials. The court also halted statutory allocations to councils lacking democratically elected representatives.
“With the intervention of the President, the deadline for compliance with this ruling was extended by three months, ending on October 31, 2024.
“Based on these developments, I instructed the RSIEC to take decisive steps to conduct elections for the 23 local government councils in Rivers State. Following my directive, the RSIEC has finalized arrangements for the elections on October 5, 2024.
“The legal authority of the RSIEC to hold these elections was further affirmed by a ruling from the Rivers State High Court, which mandated the conduct of the elections using the 2023 Independent National Electoral Commission’s Voters Register.
“Today, the RSIEC has demonstrated its readiness to conduct the local government elections, with 17 out of 18 registered political parties, including the All Progressives Congress, confirming their participation by submitting candidates.
“Over 10 states in Nigeria have successfully held local government elections using the 2023 INEC Voters’ Register, and Rivers State will follow suit.
“As the Governor, I have pledged to uphold Nigeria’s Constitution and adhere to the rule of law. Failure to conduct these elections would be a blatant disregard for the Supreme Court’s order and would deny our local councils the necessary allocations.
“The Rivers State Government would also be in contempt of the High Court ruling, which restrains us from hindering the local government elections set for October 5, 2024.
“Therefore, I reaffirm that the Rivers State Government is fully committed to conducting these elections on October 5, 2024.
“I assure all residents that the election for the 23 Local Government Councils will take place as scheduled. The state government has provided the necessary funds and logistics, and the RSIEC is prepared to deliver a fair, free, and credible election.
“I urge all registered voters to go to their polling units and exercise their right to vote, with security personnel present to maintain order and ensure peaceful elections.
“To facilitate this process, I declare Thursday and Friday, October 3 and 4, 2024, as public holidays for citizens to travel to their communities and participate in the elections.
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“Moreover, there will be a total restriction on vehicular and human movement into, within, and out of the state and local government areas from midnight on Friday, October 4, until 5 PM on Saturday, October 5, except for those with valid identification engaged in election-related duties.
“The police and security agencies have been instructed to arrest and prosecute anyone who violates these movement restrictions on Election Day.
“I appreciate the cooperation of the State’s Security High Command in ensuring a peaceful and secure environment for the local government elections.
“As citizens, we all share the responsibility to support the RSIEC in delivering free, fair, and credible elections, ushering in a new set of democratically elected leaders for the 23 Local Government Councils.”
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