Governor Siminalayi Fubara has sworn in 23 newly elected local government chairmen in Rivers State.
The swearing-in ceremony, held at the Executive Council Chambers of the Government House in Port Harcourt, the state capital, took place on Sunday, a day after the Rivers State Independent National Electoral Commission (RSIEC) conducted elections at the grassroots level.
The event was attended by Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, who is also the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum.
According to Channels Television, Governor Fubara expressed joy at the successful conduct of the local government elections, stating that it took the help of God to navigate the challenging period leading up to the exercise.
He also appreciated President Bola Tinubu for being a democrat.
While assuring Governor Mohammed that he remains a loyal member of the PDP, Fubara noted that “desperate situations require desperate actions.”
According to him, his administration, with the support of the people, intervened to safeguard the local government councils.
Governor Fubara emphasised that he would not adopt the confrontational tactics of his opponents, which could jeopardise the state’s assets and lead to a breakdown of law and order.
He advised the new chairmen to view themselves as servants rather than rulers, highlighting the need for development in the local government areas and urging them to work for the people, who he described as the “real political structure.”
Earlier on Sunday, RSIEC issued certificates of return to the newly elected local government chairmen.
Following an election held amid heightened tension, the Action Peoples Party (APP) won 22 chairmanship positions out of the 23 in the oil-rich state.
However, the state electoral commission suspended the declaration of results for the Etche Local Government Area (LGA) due to ongoing collation.
RSIEC Chairman, Adolphus Enebeli, who announced the results on Saturday, stated that the announcement for the 319 councillorship seats would be made alongside the result for the Etche chairmanship position once collation is completed.
A day after the election, RSIEC declared Uzodinma Nwafor of the Action Alliance (AA) as the winner of the chairmanship election in Etche Local Government Area.
Enebeli described the election as free, fair, and credible, despite the challenges faced.
According to him, polling closed at 3 pm, with a large turnout of voters recorded.
Enebeli commended the patriotism of the residents who came out to vote.
The declaration of results was observed by members of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), chairmen of the state’s independent electoral bodies from across the country, and members of the Nigerian Bar Association, who acted as observers in the polls.
Enebeli stated that the commission “adopted the principle of bi-location because of the exigencies” they encountered.
