Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) and the Rivers Civil Society Organisation (RIVCSO) have kicked against the plan by the recently constituted Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) to conduct local government election in the state.
The Chief Michael Odey-led RSIEC had on Monday, July 28, 2025, released a time-table indicating that the local government election would hold on August 30, 2025 in all the 23 LGAs of the state.
But, the CSOs are insisting that the planned election is unconditional considering the fact that the state is currently under emergency rule, pointing out that provisions of the Nigerian constitution stipulated that it is only an electoral body set up by an elected government that can conduct local government elections.
The CLO, in a statement signed by its spokesman in the state, Emmanuel Obe, said the new RSIEC was unconstitutionally constituted and therefore lacks the legitimacy to conduct or reschedule elections.
“The new RISIEC board was unconstitutionally constituted and, as such, lacks the legitimacy to conduct or reschedule elections. The entire process is unconstitutional, illegal, and a misuse of public funds.
“In addition to the illegality of the commission’s composition, the revised timetable fails to comply with statutory provisions requiring a minimum of 90 days’ notice before election day as provided for in Section Sections 9(6), 19 and 94 of the Electoral Act. The notice given – only 32 days – is grossly inadequate and violates the law.
“Furthermore, the timetable does not include provisions for the display and verification of the voters’ register, nor has RISIEC confirmed receipt of the register from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). This omission raises serious concerns about transparency and voter eligibility, opening the door to widespread manipulation and voter disenfranchisement.
“CLO demands the immediate suspension of the proposed elections and timetable. A credible and constitutionally compliant process must be established for conducting local government elections in Rivers State,” the CLO said.
Speaking with newsmen in Port Harcourt, RIVCSO chairman, Enefaa Georgewill, called on voters in the state to boycott the planned local government election.
Georgewill said, “Rivers Civil Society Organisation condemns and call for the boycott of the local government election in Rivers State scheduled for August 30, 2025. We totally condemn the proposed local government election instituted by the unconstitutional sole administrator of Rivers State.
“This illegitimate exercise threatens the democratic rights of the people of Rivers State and undermines the rule of law. As a coalition upholding democratic principles, we stand by the following:
“Our laws are clear; the constitution is clear. The person saddled with the power to conduct election at the local government level is the electoral commission set up by the elected governor of the state.”
