Rivers: LP Chairmanship Candidate Alleges Undemocratic Conduct Of LG Elections

A chairmanship candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the just-concluded October 5, 2024, local government election in the Port Harcourt City local government area of Rivers State, Prince Chioma Chinwo, has alleged undemocratic conduct during the exercise.

The local government election, which was boycotted by both the ruling party in the state, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC), was swept by the candidates of the Action Peoples Party (APP).

Governor Siminalayi Fubara swore in the newly elected council chairmen on Sunday, October 6, 2024, barely 24 hours after the results of the exercise were declared by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC).

But, Chinwo, in a statement made available to newsmen in Port Harcourt yesterday, described the election as a sham, saying that the exercise fell below democratic principles across the globe.

He stated that he had confidence in contesting the election because he believed in the RSIEC chairman’s promises, a retired judge and the state governor, to conduct free, fair and credible elections.

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The LP chairmanship candidate said the local government election was a selection, adding that the electoral body failed to conduct a free, fair and credible election.

Chinwo, who alleged that the election did not take place across the 20 wards of the Port Harcourt City LGA as results sheets were missing, wondered how the exercise would be credible if there were no collation centres at the ward and local government levels.

He said: “Election didn’t take place across the 20 wards of the LGA as results sheets were missing. Imagine an election with no ward collation centre or local collation centre.

Returning officers were nowhere to be found because there were no result sheets.

“Election where people were announced without the number of accredited voters, without the number of void votes, without the total number of votes cast without the number of votes by the other party candidates.”