Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State led a strong delegation to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) office in Port Harcourt in the wee hours of Friday following the alleged attempt to break into the facility to cart away materials meant for Saturday’s local government election.
Policemen allegedly deployed from neighboring Abia State were said to have stormed the place to carry out the mission foiled by Fubara and his men.
Top government officials such as the Chief of Staff to the governor, Edison Ehie, Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly loyal to Governor Fubara, Victor Oko Jumbo, National Assembly members loyal to the governor, trooped to RSIEC office to foil the operation.
Our reporter leant that Police officers led by a Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations) at the Rivers Command had moved to RSIEC at about 1.00am on Friday.
A press statement issued in Port Harcourt in the early hours of Friday by governor Fubara’s Chief Press Secretary, Nelson Chukwudi, alleged that the policemen attempted to scale through the gates and strong room of the Commission to cart away sensitive Electoral materials meant for the conduct of Saturday’s local government election in the State.
He alleged that the deployment was ordered by the Inspector-General of Police.
“However, the evil plots of the policemen and DC Ops were botched when vigilant security officials alerted principal officers of the Commission and relevant government authorities, who immediately informed the Governor of the development.
“The Governor immediately led a team of government officials, lawmakers from the National Assembly and State House of Assembly, top political stakeholders, and other leaders to storm the facility,” Nelson stated.
Addressing newsmen in front of RSIEC Office after an encounter with the policemen, Fubara condemned their conduct, alleging that the IGP was taking his friendship with some Abuja-based politicians too far.
He said withdrawing policemen already deployed to protect the facility, and replacing them with a detachment from a neighbouring state was unacceptable.
He reminded the IGP that local government election was the internal affairs of states, and advised him to allow the federation unit conduct its affairs without interference.
When contacted Rivers State Police Command Public Relation, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, said she was not aware of the incident.
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