Explosions, gunshots mar Rivers LG poll, APP clears 22 councils

The Chairman of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, Justice Adolphus Enebeli (retd.), has declared 22 chairmanship candidates of the Action Peoples Party winners of the October 5, 2024 local government elections in the state.

He said the candidates, after collation of results, scored majority of valid votes cast in two-thirds of their respective wards in the 22 LGAs.

Enebeli added that the result of the chairmanship position for Etche LGA was stood down by the commission because of its expansive landscape with 19 wards, which slowed down the collation process.

Justice Enebeli, who is also the Chief Electoral Commissioner for the election, declared the results in Port Harcourt on Saturday.

Sunday PUNCH reported that the results declaration was witnessed by members of the Inter-Party Advisory Council from 18 political parties, leaders of the Nigerian Bar Association, civil society groups, returning officers, journalists and other stakeholders.

The RSIEC chairman stated that the polls closed at 3pm and witnessed a large turnout of voters who defied the rain, adding that thereafter, the results started trickling in.

He stated, “It is, therefore, heartwarming that I stand before you all today to affirm the smooth, safe, free, fair, credible and transparent, all-inclusive, successful, violence-free and most treasured conduct of the 2024 Rivers State Local Government Council election despite all odds.”

Fubara’s loyalists commend poll

Speaking to journalists after casting his vote at Ward 10 in Port Harcourt LGA, a former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Austin Okpara, congratulated the state for “a peaceful outing.”

He said, “The turnout was good. Those who boycotted did so for what I would classify as selfish reasons because you do not want elections to hold in Rivers State. The Federal Government, and by the Supreme Court’s pronouncement, had stated that at the end of this month (October), any local council that is not democratically elected would not receive their funds and other resources. So, it means that if this election does not hold, Rivers State at the local government level will not receive their allocation. Then, you do not wish Rivers well.

“The thousands of people that work at that level, the families that depend on them, how will they survive? So, indeed those who don’t want the election to hold are the true enemies of Rivers State. But thank God both Rivers people and residents turned out, at least with what I have followed.”

Our correspondent noted that almost all the frontline candidates who were hitherto members of the PDP later emerged as candidates of the APP in the 23 local government areas of the state.

The APP candidate in Obio/Akpor LGA, Chijioke Ihunwo, shortly after casting his vote in Ward 1, unit 40, lauded the RSIEC for conducting a credible election.

Ihunwo said, “I will describe the election as a very peaceful one despite the fact that the enemies of our state tried to disrupt the entire activities of RSIEC.”

No election in Wike’s hometown

Officials of the RSIEC were nowhere to be found in Ward 9, Rumueprikom, Obio/Akpor LGA of the state, hometown of the FCT Minister, Nyesome Wike.

Our correspondent, who monitored the election, discovered that as of 12 noon, RSIEC officials and materials were nowhere in sight in the community though some voters were spotted waiting anxiously.

A voter, who gave her name as Oluchi, said, “Election did not hold in Rumuiprikom; that’s what we noticed. But in other places, they’re doing elections. We don’t even know what happened.”

A similar situation was observed on NTA Road, Mgbuoba and Ozuoba communities in Obio/Akpor LGA.

Sunday PUNCH noted that while the APC faction loyal to former Governor Rotimi Amaechi took part and fielded candidates for the election, the Tony Okocha camp boycotted the elections, citing lack of transparency and due process.

Similarly, the PDP faction loyal to the FCT minister, pulled out of the election with the state chairman, Chukwuemeka Aaron, accusing RSIEC of bias.

Gunmen attack ward

Our correspondent observed that though elections had ended in many parts of the state, there was violence in areas where suspected political thugs and some men in police uniform wreaked havoc.

The incident, which took place at the Elekahia Primary School in Port Harcourt City LGA, saw the RSIEC officers and voters scampering for safety.

Our correspondent gathered that about 21 Hilux patrol vans with heavily armed men drove into the election venue and immediately fired tear gas canisters.

RSIEC officials, who had set up their stand to begin accreditation in Ward 19, which had 10 units, were chased out.

The armed men, some of whom were masked, also asked the officials to remove their vests and hand them over and went on to cart away all election materials.

It was further gathered that the armed men also shot tear gas canisters directly into the crowd of voters and bystanders at the entrance of Ibe Street in Elekahia.

Many RSIEC officials, voters, and residents of the community ran into Ibe and Boms streets in a confused manner, creating tension.

When contacted, the Rivers police spokesperson, Grace Iringe-Koko, said she was not aware of the incident.

Twin explosions

The declaration of the result followed two explosions in some parts of the state.

The explosions occurred at the All Progressives Congress secretariat along Aba Road and the Obio/Akpor Local Government secretariat, just outside Port Harcourt.

Iringe-Koko, in a press release, noted that both explosions happened almost simultaneously.

She further stated that police units responded swiftly, visiting the scenes and collecting samples for investigation.

The statement read, “The Rivers State Police Command has been alerted to two explosions that rocked the city of Port Harcourt today, Saturday, October 5, 2024.

“The first explosion was reported at the APC secretariat on Aba Road at approximately 3am. A security guard reported hearing a loud bang and, upon investigation, observed three black Toyota Hilux vans speeding away from the scene.

“The explosion caused significant damage, destroying the gate and shattering the windows of the building. Additionally, the security building was set ablaze.

“The second explosion occurred at the Obio/Akpor Council secretariat around 3:30am. Eyewitnesses reported seeing a black Toyota Hilux van and a white Toyota Sienna minivan drive past the secretariat.

“The occupants of these vehicles allegedly threw an object, suspected to be a stick of dynamite, which shattered the roof and caused damage to the generator house of the complex.

“In response to these incidents, the Explosive Ordinance Disposal and Anti-Bomb Squad has been mobilised to both locations.

“An improvised explosive device was recovered at the APC secretariat, and the team has identified the use of incendiary materials in the arson of the security building.”

Iringe-Koko said the anti-bomb squad had collected samples from both scenes for forensic analysis, adding that investigations were ongoing to apprehend the perpetrators.

She also urged the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to the authorities.

APC condemns explosion

The Rivers State chapter of the APC condemned the explosion at its secretariat, saying the party was under attack.

The former caretaker committee chairman of the party, Tony Okocha, stated this while fielding questions from journalists in Port Harcourt.

He stated that he woke up to discover that his mobile phone had been inundated with calls, adding that he was informed of the incident when he eventually answered.

Okocha wondered the motive behind the attacks when an election was not taking place there.

He said, “Luckily, some of you were here with us yesterday (Friday) when we briefed the press to remind Nigerians that there is a court judgment. It’s not a court order. It’s not an interim order of court. It is not ex parte.

“There’s a court order in a matter that passed through the processes and the judgment was reached. And in that judgment, the court was clear that the election slated for today (Saturday) did not comply with the constitution and the laws of the state.

“And to that extent, it was declared illegal. You can see too that the same judgment barred the police and the DSS from participating. Imagine where the police are not part of the election. Imagine where the DSS is also not part of our election. So, how are we sure of the security of people?”

Also speaking, a former publicity secretary of the APC CTC, Chibuike Ikenga, condemned the bombing of the party’s secretariat and called for a proper investigation to bring the culprits to book.

Wike’s supporters stage another protest

Meanwhile, supporters of Wike staged another protest against the election in the early hours of Saturday.

A protest had taken place on Friday along the streets of Port Harcourt, although supporters of Governor, Siminalayi Fubara also stormed the RSIEC to protest in support of the election the same day.

Wike’s protesters, who were mainly youths, gathered at the Polo Club axis of GRA in Port Harcourt and moved towards the GRA axis of the metropolis on Saturday.

They insisted that no election would be held in the state, stating that they were relying on the Abuja Federal High Court judgment, which ordered the police and the electoral body not to participate in the poll.

One of the protesters, who identified himself as Bob Manuel, said, “We are law-abiding citizens, which is why we are not participating in the election. We gathered here to tell the world that there is no local council election in Rivers State.”