As the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) gears up for the August 30 local government elections, intense political intrigues, scheming, and manoeuvring have continued to cloud the process of selecting chairmanship and councillorship candidates across political parties in the state.

The Supreme Court had on February 25, 2025, nullified the earlier October 5, 2024, local government elections in which the Action Peoples Party (APP), reportedly backed by the now-suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, claimed victories in 22 out of 23 local government areas.

The apex court voided the poll on the grounds that RSIEC failed to provide the constitutionally required 90-day notice, as mandated by the Electoral Act.

According to the new timetable issued by RSIEC, political parties were directed to conduct primaries between August 3 and 4 and to submit candidate lists for all 23 LGAs within that window.

It was observed that across most LGAs, loyalists of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike, who are also known members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), have emerged as candidates under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

It remains unclear whether the APC and PDP have formally entered into a coalition ahead of the elections.

Many of the APC chairmanship candidates are former council chairmen who were removed by Governor Fubara after the expiration of their tenures in 2024.

According to the comprehensive list of the consensus candidates seen by our correspondent, notable among Wike’s allies who emerged as APC candidates include: Vincent Nemioboka (Ogu/Bolo LGA), Owolobi Ofori (Abua/Odual LGA), Onengiyeofori George (Asari-Toru LGA), Uchechukwu Obasi (Omuma LGA), and Michael Williams (Degema LGA).

Others under the APC are: Chima Njoku (Etche LGA), Owolabi Ofori (Abua/Odua LGA), Okechukwu Akara (Oyigbo LGA), Charles Wobodo (Ikwerre LGA), Thomas Bariere (Khana LGA), Mbakpone Okpe (Tai LGA), and Akuro Tobin (Okrika LGA).

Those that emerged as PDP candidates are Chidi Lloyd (Emohua LGA), Shedrack Chukwu (Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni), Allwell Ihunda (Port Harcourt LGA), Prince Promise Otuo Lucky (Andoni LGA), Confidence Dekor (Gokana LGA), Obarilomati Ollor (Eleme LGA), Solomon Abuba (Ahoada-East LGA), Eugene Opelle (Ahoada-West LGA), Aboiaya Bobfubara (Akuku-Toru LGA), Abinye Blessing (Bonny)

An insider in Wike’s camp told Weekend Trust that Governor Fubara was also allowed to nominate James A. James (PDP) as chairmanship candidate and a few councillorship candidates, in his home LGA of Opobo/Nkoro while the suspended Rivers State House of Assembly led by Martin Amaewhule, who is from Obio-Akpor LGA, same as Wike, was allowed to nominate Gift Worlu (PDP) as chairmanship candidate.

The source added that the selections were part of a peace agreement involving Fubara, Wike, and Amaewhule.

Although RSIEC is expected to publish the final list of candidates on August 20, 2025, it remains uncertain whether the PDP will field candidates in the election.

Weekend Trust reports that both Chief Nyesom Wike and Governor Fubara remain PDP leaders in the state.

Despite the ongoing leadership crisis rocking the Labour Party at the national level, the party has insisted it will fully participate in the August 30 local government elections in Rivers State, describing it as a state affair unrelated to the national leadership dispute.

Prince Favour Reuben, National Vice Chairman (South-South) and a Rivers indigene, told Weekend Trust that the party had concluded its primaries and submitted its candidate list to RSIEC.

Reuben dismissed claims of a factional leadership led by Nenadi Usman, insisting that the Akwanga convention produced Julius Abure and a National Working Committee (NWC) duly recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

“We have completed our primaries and are fully prepared for the LG elections,” Reuben said. “The leadership issues at the national level do not affect this process. RSIEC is different from INEC.”

He continued: “Even if INEC said it doesn’t recognise Abure, the names of those of us elected at the Akwanga convention are still in their records. INEC is only pushing Abure to regularise, like PDP did with its National Secretary position.

“The so-called Nenadi-led faction has no constitutional standing. You can’t just create a faction and expect legitimacy. We in the NWC remain intact.”

Reuben urged Labour Party members in Rivers to remain united and committed. “Rivers people should support the party as they have always done. We are fully in this election, and everyone must come out and vote for Labour Party.”

ADC, APP, APC faction may boycott polls

However, Weekend Trust observed signs that the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Action Peoples Party (APP), and a faction of the APC may boycott the local government elections.

Before the party primaries, all three groups had expressed uncertainty over participating.

Speaking to journalists in Port Harcourt, ADC spokesman, Chief Luckyman Egila, said the party’s final position would be determined after a meeting of critical stakeholders.

In the coming days, the ADC leadership will meet and decide whether we’ll participate or not,” he said.

Similarly, Hon. Darlington Nwauju, spokesperson for the Chief Emeka Beke-led faction of the APC, said their decision hinges on internal consultations and RSIEC’s recognition of the party’s leadership.

“We’ve taken a position based on RSIEC’s failure to recognise our validated leadership,” Nwauju said. “But with ongoing consultations with the APC national leadership, we’re exploring a resolution that protects the party’s interest from politically desperate actors.”

Efforts to reach Chief Tony Okocha, the nationally recognized Rivers APC chairman and PDP Publicity Secretary, Dr. Kenneth Yorwika, were unsuccessful, as calls and text messages from Weekend Trust were not returned.

LG election illegal, unconstitutional under emergency rule – IPAC, Rivers Elders

Meanwhile, the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has formally rejected the August 30 LG election, calling it illegal and unconstitutional under the state of emergency declared in Rivers State.

In a letter addressed to the RSIEC Chairman and signed by IPAC National Chairman, Dr. Yusuf M. Dantalle and National Secretary, Barr Maxwell Ngbudem, the umbrella body of registered political parties argued that the election violates democratic norms.

IPAC cited President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s March 18, 2025, emergency proclamation, which suspended democratic structures in the state, leaving only the judiciary functional.

“Under these conditions, no legally binding election can be conducted,” the letter stated. “The Governor and State Assembly, the constitutionally empowered bodies to approve RSIEC appointments, are no longer operational.”

The council added: “We express our dismay at your decision to proceed with this unconstitutional exercise. Your commission lacks the authority to conduct elections in Rivers State.”

IPAC said it would explore other lawful avenues to challenge RSIEC if it proceeds with the poll.

Similarly, a coalition of prominent Rivers State stakeholders has raised the alarm over the planned conduct of local government elections in the state, describing the process as unconstitutional, illegal, and a direct threat to Nigeria’s democratic framework.

In a strongly worded open letter addressed to President Tinubu on Thursday, the group under the banner of Major Stakeholders called for urgent intervention to halt the election.

The letter, titled “Rivers LG Election: A Serious Threat To Democracy And Repeated Violations Of The Constitution – Urgent Warning From Major Stakeholders,” accused the current political leadership in Rivers of violating established legal procedures and flouting constitutional provisions in their bid to stage the election.

Among the signatories are respected figures from diverse walks of life and backgrounds, including Atedo Peterside, Celestine Omehia, Prince Uche Secondus, Chief Abiye Sekibo, Senator Lee Maeba, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, Senator Andrew Uchendu, and Engr. Tele Ikuru.

The stakeholders decried what they described as a deliberate erosion of constitutional governance, saying the attempt to conduct local government polls under the current circumstances is tantamount to “an existential assault on our democracy.”

They warned that the process, reportedly being championed by a “Sole Administrator” with no constitutional legitimacy endangers not just the rule of law in Rivers State, but the entire federal system of Nigeria.

“This is more than an election; it is a confrontation between the rule of law and political impunity,” the letter stated.

Furthermore, they pointed out that RSIEC failed to meet the mandatory 90-day notice requirement before any election, as stipulated in Section 20 of the RSIEC law, and argued that the electoral body instead hurriedly announced the election date for August 30, without any formal notification of nomination deadlines or polling timetables.

“This mirrors the 2024 scenario, where elections were annulled by the Supreme Court due to procedural infractions,” the group warned. (Weekend Trust)