It is about two years to the 2027 general elections. But the grand plot to ensure victory for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Rivers State has already been set.

This was sequel to the announcement in July of a fresh date for the local government elections by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, RSIEC.

Recall that the former RSIEC Chairman, Justice Adolphus Enebeli (retired), had scheduled August 9 for the polls following the annulment of the one earlier conducted on October 5, 2024 with then Governor Siminalyi Fubara overseeing the affairs of the state before he was summarily suspended following the declaration of state of emergency on March 18.

Some loyalists of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, opted out of the October 5 exercise, citing constitutional irregularities such as non-compliance with the 90 days provision by the state electoral body to enable participating political parties? sufficient time to mobilize members.

Shockingly, at the end of last month, Dr. Michael Odey, the new Chairman of RSIEC, whose nomination and appointment sparked a widespread condemnation even in the National Assembly, announced August 30 as a new date for the elections.

While he condemned the Commission?s earlier scheduled polls, at a stakeholders? meeting held on March 5, 2025, for August 9 as the date for the elections, Odey defended that ?given recent developments and based on Section 13(5) of the RSIEC Law, which permits a shift in date in the event of likely breach of peace or other emergencies, the Commission has deemed it necessary to reschedule the election?.

He added: ?Therefore, by the powers vested in the Commission, I hereby announce the postponement of the earlier date and the approval of Saturday, August 30, 2025, for the conduct of chairmanship and councillorship elections across the 23 local government areas of Rivers State.?

Same parties, same candidates

There are litany of cases waiting to be resolved in the two major political parties in the state. Chief Emeka Beke is laying claim to the fact that he and his state executive council remain the face of authentic All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State.

Only recently, Beke paid a surprise visit to the new National Chairman of the party, Prof Nentawe Yilwatda, in Abuja to present himself and the exco as the only source he could deal with on any issue that pertains to Rivers APC until October 25 when his tenure elapses.

On the other hand, Chief Tony Okocha, who is largely an ally of the FCT Minister, Wike, holds his own with all the backings from Abuja in his favour.

Both camps had presented different lists of candidates for the August 30 elections to RSIEC. It is therefore left to be seen what comes out of that drama.

PDP aspirants with APC forms.

During the primaries, held a fortnight ago, some members of the PDP, who went to participate in the exercise, were seen coming out with the APC forms.

Of the 23 chairmanship seats being contested for, eight slots were allegedly allotted to the PDP while the APC got 15 slots.

Majority of those who were given the forms were said to be Wike?s foot soldiers who were either sacked by Fubara or relegated to political silence.

Also in PDP, two persons are laying claim to chairmanship position of the party: Chief Aaron Chukwuma, who is Wike?s ally, and Hon Robinson Ewor, Fubara?s sympathizer.

Ewor was reinstated by the judgment of Rivers State High Court that nullified the congresses held on July 27, August 10 and August 31, 2024 respectively.

But Wike camp does not seem to have any dealing with the Ewor led Exco, a situation which has cascaded the party into more crisis.

The Beke camp, which has since indicated interest to participate in the council polls, raised concerns about the administrative and procedural lacuna which RSIEC allegedly created.

Darlington Nwauju, publicity secretary of the Emeka exco, was of the opinion that the Commission failed to convince the public why it flouted that provision of 90-day notice to the stakeholders.

?We had issued a statement complaining of some grey areas that needed to be addressed by RSIEC. We talked about updating the voters register and then the issue of the 90-day provision was not adhered to. But as a law-abiding political party, we have accepted to participate in the election?, he said.

Nwauju alleged that the composition of the RSIEC was suspect as it is flooded with ?card carrying members of known political parties. That alone, according to him, has created doubt in every sensible mind about the outcome of the elections result.

He remarked that his conviction to take part in the exercise was borne out of APC?s overwhelming support in the entire 23 local government areas of the state.

?Our lawyers had written to the RSIEC. We informed them that anybody or institution that deals with any group or persons not recognized by law, is null and void?, he pointed out, saying that he trusted the judgment of the new National Chairman of the APC.

Fubara?s camp in disarray

?This man (Fubara) has thrown all of us under the bus?, a vocal loyalist of the suspended governor volunteered anonymously. He said nobody has heard anything from him.

?He has not passed any instruction. And those who stuck their neck out in support of him have been abandoned?.

Unconfirmed sources hinted that Fubara was given three slots on the PDP platform to nominate candidates but he rejected the offer. Another source said that the only person close to him that has taken the slot is a former Chairman of Opobo Nkoro local government area where the suspended governor comes from.

Defection

The former council chairman, who was sighted at the party primaries of the APC, gave observers a clear indication that Fubara may be the next big political fish to dump the PDP and join the ruling APC.

Remember, in the peace agreement he allegedly signed, one of the conditions spelt out to him was that he should defect to the APC.

By optics, the indicators point to that direction.

A few months ago, shortly after the peace accord in Abuja, Fubara addressed his teeming supporters in Rivers.

He warned them not to go public in defence of him until he gave clearance for such assignment.

This explains why the Simplified Movement, a grassroots political structure of the suspended governor that was once very vocal in all sense of publicity has suddenly gone dump.

Members are now forced to speak in hush tones to escape sanctions.

Ibas sweeping powers

It was shocking to many observers in the state when RSIEC announced a fresh date for the council polls. More shocking was the fact that, Fubara was touted to be the one to conduct the elections even after he was coerced not to field any candidate.

But it soon surfaced that President Bola Tinubu had allegedly modified the powers of the Sole Administrator of Rivers State in the Conduct of Local Government Council Elections.

The President also altered the powers of the Sole Administrator for the prompt determination of petitions and litigations arising and the likes in the emergency.

?This was contained in a Federal Republic of Nigeria Official Gazette Number 125, Lagos dated 22nd July, 2025?, a source privy to the document quoted.

?The Gazette also suspended Section 2 Subsection 2 of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission Law Number 2 of 2018 which covers the appointment of the Chairman and Members of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, RSIEC.

?Instead, the document grants the power to appoint and swear in the Chairman and Members of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission on the Sole Administrator.

?This gazette cum executive fiat was done few days ago after realizing the legal errors in the abrasive actions they have carried out with IBAS Ibok Ete, and the action was back dated to July 22, 2025. Whereas, IBAS illegality of suspending the democratically constituted RSIEC dated back to May 2025, a period his action had no legal backing whether rightly or wrongly?.

Board appointments

Only a few days ago, the Sole Administrator made appointments into eight boards in the state.

This leaves many to wonder what would then be the responsibility of Fubara when he eventually returns as governor! ?Those appointments are condemnable?, said a legal practitioner who will not want his name mentioned because of ongoing litigation.

?Since he has been warned not to nurture the idea of vying for second term, it is obvious that the sole responsibility of the governor would only be to tend to the Minister?s political structure and then vacate the stage in 2027.

?If they said that there is peace between Fubara and Wike, why is the governor not participating in the ongoing electoral process? He is not in any campaign for his party. Nobody knows where he is at the moment?.

Rivers clear for Tinubu

Wike didn?t minced words when he said during one of his media chats in Abuja that he would ensure that Tinubu wins Rivers State in his re-election bid in 2027.

He declared with gusto that he would lead the campaign train of the President in the state.

In 2023, as a sitting governor, Wike went all out against the presidential candidate of his own party, the PDP, Atiku Abubakar, and gave Tinubu the needed victory in the state.

With the stage now set for the council elections and the two major political parties, APC and PDP, neatly tucked in his kitty, the FCT Minister seems to have cleared the smoky coast for Tinubu?s victory.

Chief Victor Giadom, South-South National Vice Chairman of the APC, and Tony Okocha, factional APC Chairman in Rivers State, on Thursday, during the flag-off of campaign rally, boasted that the party will win the entire 23 LGAs in the forthcoming council polls.

?We are not just going to test the waters on 30th August, we are going to contest and win the elections in the 23 LGAs and win the 319 wards in Rivers state?, Okocha said. (Sunday Vanguard)

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