The Rivers chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has officially announced its decision to boycott the October 5 local government election in the state.

It was gathered on Wednesday the PDP neither made any arrangement to participate in the poll nor fielded any candidate for the exercise.

Rivers PDP chairman, Aaron Chukwuemeka, who spoke at the party?s secretariat in Port Harcourt, said it was waiting for the court verdict on the election in the case instituted by the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Chukwuemeka urged members of the party to stay away from any activities connected with the election.

He said: ?As a law-abiding party in the state, we will not be part of the purported local government election that they have slated on 5th October. That is the resolution of the party. All the stakeholders met and we resolved that we won?t be part of that election.

?The reason is that few months ago there a suit instituted by the APC. We are not part of the suit but as a law-abiding party we heard that an order was issued by the court restraining INEC from releasing voters register to RISIEC.

?What elections are we going to when voter register is not released to RISIEC and security agencies are not going to be part of the election.

?Based on that the party said we would not be part of it because we believe in the rule of law. All the major stakeholders of our party were in the meeting when we took the resolution. It was a collective decision of our party?.

But all the loyalists of Governor Siminialayi Fubara, and his candidates for the elections had since defected to the All Peoples Party (APP) to contest the poll.

The names of the candidates, who are mostly Fubara?s Caretaker Committee Chairmen in the 23 local government areas of the state, had been submitted to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RISIEC) by APP ahead of the poll.

Rivers APP Chairman, Sunny Wokekoro, was said to have handed over the flag of the party to Fubara?s local government chairmanship candidates vowing that his party would cripple the structures of the PDP and other parties in the state.

Wokekoro said the nation would take the party serious after the local council elections and the state 2027 poll describing the APP as a veritable destination everybody in Rivers.

The Chairman said that the candidates were carefully selected based on their track record of leadership and capacity assuring that they would deliver the dividends of grassroots leadership.

He said: ?By the time we are done with the local council election, everybody from local, state, and national will take APP seriously. This will be made possible because the people are behind APP. God is on our side, to use us as a tool to liberate Rivers State.?

It was observed that Fubara?s loyalists and APP?s candidates had launched their electioneering campaigns in all the senatoria districts of the state.

Their campaigns were first inaugurated at the Rivers South-East Senatorial District comprising seven local government areas of Andoni, Oyigbo, Opobo Nkoro, Eleme, Tai, Khana and Gokana.

The APP gathered party faithful, residents and loyalists of the governor to kick off its campaign in Bori.

A party loyalist, who attended the event said: ?The event drew an unprecedented crowd, reflecting the community?s eagerness for change and good governance.

?For many, this moment has been long anticipated, symbolizing hope for a brighter future. Residents gathered in large numbers, united by their desire for effective leadership and meaningful progress.

?The atmosphere was charged with enthusiasm as local leaders and party officials outlined their vision for the district, promising transparency, development, and engagement with the people.

?As the APP sets the stage for its campaign, the turnout marks the urgent need for responsive governance and the collective aspiration for a better tomorrow in Rivers State.

?This epoch-making event marks not just the beginning of a campaign, but also a renewed commitment to addressing the pressing needs of the community down to the grassroots?.

The Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers sued for peace ahead of the election and appealed to residents to shun any form of violence.

The traditional rulers in a communique issued after their meeting and signed by their Chairman and King of Apara Kingdom, Eze Chike Worlu Wodo, commended Fubara for his efforts to enhance the peace in the state

The communiqu? said: ?Council resolves that all sons and daughters of Rivers state should conduct themselves peacefully all through the electioneering period.

?Council further advised all sons and daughters of Rivers state to eschew violence all through the electioneering period.

?Council also advises the electoral umpire (RSIEC) to conduct the forthcoming Local Government Elections in a manner consistent with the rule of law and international best practices.

?Council commends Governor of Rivers state for his immense efforts at enhancing the peace of Rivers state and further calls on all security agencies in Rivers state to perform their peacekeeping duties in compliance with international best practices of law enforcement all through the electioneering period.

?Council finally calls on all Traditional Rulers in Rivers State to ensure that there?s peace in their various domains all through the forthcoming Local Government Elections in Rivers state,? it added. (The Nation)

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