Pastor Tamunotonye Profit Tobins, Commissioner in charge of Civic Education and Public Affairs, has revealed that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has furnished the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RISIEC) with the voters register, effectively rendering a recent lawsuit by Chief. Tony Okocha against the move “dead on arrival”
According to Tobins, RISIEC obtained the register in preparation for the upcoming election after visiting INEC and requesting necessary materials. “INEC met all our demands, supplying the voters register, compendium of wards, and units across Rivers State based on the 2023 updated voters register.”
Tobins emphasized that RISIEC had obtained the vital document before the lawsuit aimed at stopping INEC from sharing it. He assured that the records remain verifiable, further solidifying the lawsuit’s lack of merit.
Pastor Tamunotonye Profit Tobins also reaffirmed that the October 5 election in Rivers State will proceed as scheduled, citing the absence of a court ruling to halt the process.
He however noted that 18 out of 19 registered political parties in Nigeria are participating, with the People Democratic Party (PDP) being the sole exception.
On the order stopping the police from providing security for the conduct of the local government elections, Pastor Tamunotonye Profit Tobins further emphasized that the police are legally mandated to protect lives and properties, particularly during elections. According to him, the laws governing Nigeria and the Police Act empower the police to provide security cover before, during, and after elections, and this responsibility cannot be taken away from them.