As the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) gets ready for the August 30 local government voting, lots of behind-the-scenes political games and plans are still making it hard to pick the best people for chairman and council positions in all the state’s political groups.
The highest court in the land said on February 25, 2025, that the local elections held earlier on October 5, 2024, were not valid; in those elections, the Action Peoples Party (APP), which sources say was supported by the now-suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, said they won in 22 of 23 local areas.
The highest court cancelled the vote because RSIEC did not give the required notice of 90 days, which is a rule according to the Electoral Act.
The new schedule from RSIEC instructed political parties to hold their primary elections between August 3 and 4 and to hand in their lists of candidates for all 23 LGAs during that time.
Weekend Trust noticed that in most LGAs, people who support the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike, and who are also well-known members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), have become the candidates for the All Progressives Congress (APC).
It is still not clear if the APC and PDP have officially joined together for the upcoming elections.
Many of the APC candidates for chairman are former council chairmen who were removed by Governor Fubara after their time in office ended in 2024.
According to the full list of agreed-upon candidates seen by our reporter, some of Wike’s main supporters who became APC candidates are: 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 running 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).
The 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).
Someone close to Wike told Weekend Trust that Governor Fubara was also able to pick James A. James (PDP) as the candidate for chairman and some candidates for council seats in his home LGA of Opobo/Nkoro, while the suspended Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Martin Amaewhule, who is from the same LGA as Wike, Obio-Akpor, was able to pick Gift Worlu (PDP) as the candidate for chairman.
The source also said that these choices were part of a peace deal between Fubara, Wike, and Amaewhule.
Even though RSIEC is supposed to release the final list of candidates on August 20, 2025, it is still not known if the PDP will put forward candidates in the election.
Weekend Trust says that both Chief Nyesom Wike and Governor Fubara are still leaders of the PDP in the state.
Labour Party will participate – NWC member
Even though the Labour Party is having big problems with its leaders nationally, the party says it will definitely take part in the local elections happening in Rivers State on August 30, explaining that it’s a state matter separate from the national leadership disagreements.
Prince Favour Reuben, who is the National Vice Chairman for the South-South region and from Rivers, shared with Weekend Trust that the party has finished its primary elections and given its list of candidates to RSIEC.
Reuben brushed aside talk of a divided leadership under Nenadi Usman, stressing that the Akwanga meeting created Julius Abure and a National Working Committee (NWC) that is properly accepted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“We’re done with our primary elections and we’re totally ready for the local government elections,” Reuben stated. “The leadership problems on the national level don’t change anything about this. RSIEC is not the same as INEC.”
He went on to say: “Even if INEC said it doesn’t accept Abure, the names of the people like us who were chosen at the Akwanga meeting are still in their files. INEC is just telling Abure to get things in order, like PDP did with its National Secretary spot.
“The group supposedly led by Nenadi doesn’t have any real power. You can’t just make a group and think it will be seen as real. Those of us in the NWC are still all together.”
Reuben asked Labour Party people in Rivers to stay together and dedicated. “People in Rivers should keep supporting the party like they always have. We are seriously in this election, and everyone needs to go vote for the Labour Party.”
ADC, APP, APC faction may boycott polls
But, Weekend Trust noticed clues that the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Action Peoples Party (APP), and some members of the APC might not participate in the local government elections.
Before the party votes, all three groups were unsure if they would take part.
Talking to reporters in Port Harcourt, the ADC representative, Chief Luckyman Egila, stated that the party’s last choice would be made after a gathering of important people.
“Soon, the ADC leaders will get together and choose if we will participate or not,” he stated.
Likewise, Hon. Darlington Nwauju, speaking for the Chief Emeka Beke-led members of the APC, shared that their choice depends on internal talks and RSIEC’s acceptance of the party’s leaders.
“We have decided because RSIEC did not accept our confirmed leaders,” Nwauju stated. “But with talks still happening with the APC national leaders, we are looking for a solution that keeps the party safe from those who are politically eager.”
Attempts to contact Chief Tony Okocha, the accepted Rivers APC chairman and PDP Spokesperson, Dr Kenneth Yorwika, did not work, as calls and texts from Weekend Trust got no reply.
LG election illegal, unconstitutional under emergency rule – IPAC, Rivers Elders
Meanwhile, the group of political parties, IPAC, has officially said no to the local government election on August 30, calling it unlawful and against the constitution because of the emergency situation in Rivers State.
In a written message to the RSIEC leader, signed by the head of IPAC, Dr. Yusuf M. Dantalle, and the secretary, Barr. Maxwell Ngbudem, the main organization for registered political groups said the election goes against what is expected in a fair system.
IPAC mentioned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s announcement on March 18, 2025, that put the state in an emergency, stopping the normal workings of the government there, with only the courts still working.
The letter said that because of this situation, no election can be legally held. It also said that the governor and state lawmakers, who are supposed to approve who is in charge of RSIEC, are not currently working.
The council added that they are very unhappy with the decision to move forward with something that is against the constitution, and that the commission does not have the right to hold elections in Rivers State.
IPAC stated it would look into other legal options to challenge RSIEC if it continues with the election plans.
Similarly, a group of important people in Rivers State has expressed concern about the plan to have local elections in the state, saying it is against the constitution, against the law, and a direct threat to Nigeria’s democratic system.
In a strongly worded public letter to President Tinubu on Thursday, the group called Major Stakeholders asked for immediate action to stop the election.
The letter, named “Rivers LG Election: A Serious Threat To Democracy And Repeated Violations Of The Constitution – Urgent Warning From Major Stakeholders,” said that the current political leaders in Rivers are not following the correct legal steps and are ignoring the constitution in their efforts to hold the election.
The letter was signed by well-known people from different areas of life, like Atedo Peterside, Celestine Omehia, Prince Uche Secondus, Chief Abiye Sekibo, Senator Lee Maeba, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, Senator Andrew Uchendu, and Engr. Tele Ikuru.
The important people criticized what they saw as a purposeful weakening of constitutional rule, saying that trying to have local elections in the current situation is like “an existential assault on our democracy.”
They warned that the process, which is reportedly being pushed by a “Sole Administrator” without the proper legal backing, puts at risk not only the rule of law in Rivers State but also the entire federal system of Nigeria.
The letter stated that this is more than just an election; it is a fight between following the law and political freedom.
Additionally, they mentioned that RSIEC did not give the required 90-day notice before the election, as stated in Section 20 of the RSIEC law, and claimed that the election body quickly announced the election date for August 30 without any official announcement of when nominations were due or the schedule for voting.
The group warned that this is similar to what happened in 2024, when elections were canceled by the Supreme Court because of legal mistakes.
