Supporters of the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, staged a peaceful protest on Saturday morning near the Polio Club in the Government Reserved Area (GRA) of Port Harcourt, expressing their opposition to the ongoing local government elections in Rivers State.
The group, consisting mainly of youths, gathered to assert that there is no legitimate council election taking place in the state.
With their numbers reaching about 100, the protesters stated that as law-abiding citizens, they felt compelled to obey the recent Federal High Court judgment from Abuja, which instructed the police and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to stay away from the electoral process.
One of the protesters, Henry Bobmanuel, articulated their stance, saying, “We are law-abiding citizens, that’s why we are not participating in the elections; we gathered here to tell the world that there is no local council election in Rivers State.”
Despite the protest, checks by The Guardian revealed that election materials were being distributed across various wards and units in some local government areas as of the time of this report.
Areas such as Bonny, Obio-Akpor, Abua/Odual, Emohua, Ikwerre, Etche, and Port Harcourt City had received sensitive materials by 8:45 a.m.
Voter accreditation was underway at Unit 6, Ward 5, in the Okomoko community in Etche. Meanwhile, in Ward 5, Units 9, 10, and 15 in the Port Harcourt City area, voters were seen waiting at polling units, although no election materials had yet arrived.
In contrast, PHALGA Ward 18, Units 13, 14, and 15 reported the timely arrival of materials, with voting concluding by 10 a.m.
In the Obio-Akpor Local Government Area, polling units in Rumuibekwe and Rumuekini reported no sign of elections by 9 a.m., with a few voters remaining calm while waiting for the arrival of materials.
Buguma in Asari-Toru Local Government Area saw a large turnout of voters, and the atmosphere remained relatively peaceful. Shops in the vicinity were closed, while police vans patrolled the state capital, and some security vehicles were stationed near the office of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC).
Notably, police personnel were absent from polling units, but other security agencies, including the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and local security outfits, were present to ensure order.