LG Election Results Awaited In Rivers As RSIEC Records Low Voter Turnout
By PHC Telegraph
Results of local government elections conducted throughout the State by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, RSIEC, are being awaited.
According to information reaching our newsroom, results of the election which were taken to designated areas in the LGAs are being collated.
Thereafter, they would be taken to the RSIEC headquarters in Port Harcourt, the Rivers capital before they are released to the public.
Meanwhile, most people of voting age today shunned RSIEC’s electoral exercise, preferring instead on an election day to spend their day at home.
Correspondents who covered the election for various media organizations report that the hurriedly packaged local election was invariably marred by low voter turnout.
The News Agency of Nigeria reported that the stay-off-the-road order issued by the authorities was not heeded.
NAN further reports that shops around Woji were open all through the voting period, with shop owners claiming they had to open their businesses in order to feed their families.
Rivers State has at least 319 wards, with approximately 4, 4200 units spread out through the 23 local government areas.
In Obio/Akpor, Port Harcourt, Etche and Khana to name a few local government areas, not many polling units received a large turnout of voters.
Videos suggesting that some Ad hoc staff may have been caught on camera thumb – printing have since gone viral.
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Nyesom Wike was seen while voting early in the day, but the Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, who has not been seen in public was not sighted at Opobo where he ought to have voted.
While some people are already trying to make a mountain out of a mole, there are strong indications that Fubara may not be in the country at the moment.
Whatever it is, Rivers people nonetheless had the opportunity to either to choose the new leaders of the grassroots or to acknowledge the leaders chosen for them.
But, on a comparative basis, the number of people who however, filed out in an election in which the Nigeria police and other security organizations openly recused themselves from participating was more than the number of persons who took part in the latest election in which there was a show of force.
Speaking shortly after casting his vote, Wike expressed optimism that the state of emergency would be lifted on the 18th September, 2025.
He said with the emergence of council administration at the grassroots, the return of elected assembly men and the Governor, the system is ready to roll.
An Insider told the Port Harcourt Telegraph that all the results that are being collated may be announced on Sunday.