Voters turnout enmass in Rivers LG elections, as explosion rocks APC Secretariat

•As Police boycotted exercise in compliance to IGP’s directives

Emmanuel Nlewedum, Port Harcourt

The 2024 local government elections in Rivers State held as planned on Saturday October 5, by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, RSIEC.

As expected, the election witnessed large turnout of voters, despite earlier raised among residents who suspected violence, following police withdrawal from the exercise and threats by the PDP to cause mayhem and the Tony Okocha-led faction of APC vowing to oppose Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, RSIEC, should the election go ahead against September 30 Abuja Federal High Court judgment.

Before the election started at about 8:00am across various polling units in the state, there was a report of a dynamite explosion at the All Progressive Congress, APC, secretariat along Port Harcourt-Aba express Road in the early hours of the election day.

Daily Champion reports that the election went peacefully across the state, especially in Asari-Toru local government area where the Caretaker Committee Chairman, Rt. Hon. Orolosama Peter Amachree commended the Rivers State Governor for ensuring that the election was conducted as scheduled despite intimidations from oppositions and withdrawal of the police from the exercise.

Our correspondent who visited Port Harcourt City Local Government area ward five at Lagos bus stop, ward nine and ward six around 12 noon, observed that the election went on smoothly with scores casting their votes.

In Emohua Local Government, Rundele ward 7, that our correspondent also visited, elections were also going on smoothly, as voters trooped in their numbers to vote for candidates of their choice.

Addressing newsmen after casting his vote, the Chairman of the All People’s Party, APP in Rivers State, Sunny Wokekoro hailed the RSIEC for conducting a free, fair and credible election.

Nwokekoro also commended Governor Siminalayi Fubara for his determination and courage to ensure the election was conducted amidst counter court orders and intimidation.

But there was report of shooting in some parts of Obio/Akpor, the LGA of the FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and factional Chairman, Chief Tony Okocha.

Reacting to the explosion at the APC secretariat, Chief Tony Okocha, accused supporters of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, for the attack on the facility.

Okocha in a message sent to Journalists said, “At the wee hours of Saturday, pro-Fubara civilian soldiers detonated dynamites at our office.

“The second attempt to set it ablaze was foiled as the security at the gate quickly put out the fire.”

This is as operatives of the Nigerian Police positioned themselves at strategic locations away from the polling centres in compliance with the directives of the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, withdrawing the Police from covering the elections.