LG Polls: Gov. Fubara Declares Oct 3, 4 Public Holidays

Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State has announced Thursday, October 3, and Friday, October 4, 2024, as public holidays to permit indigenes of the state to travel to their communities to partake in the local government elections planned for Saturday, October 5.

Meanwhile, the Governor made public a limitation on vehicular movement from midnight on Friday, October 4, until 5 p.m. on Election Day, October 5.

Fubara made the declaration in a statewide transmission from Government House, Port Harcourt, yesterday.

He explained, “Following the end of the three-year tenure of the Chairmen and Councillors of the 23 Local Government Councils on June 17, 2023, I legally established Caretaker Parnell to temporarily direct the councils awaiting the conduct of elections by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC).”

Governor Fubara, however, stated that the Supreme Court of Nigeria, in its July 11, 2024 ruling in SC/CV/343/2024, prohibited the governance of local government councils by appointed personnel and directed the termination of legal assignment to councils without elected personnel.

“Following President Tinubu’s interference, the adherence era with the Supreme Court’s ruling was extended by three months, ending on October 31, 2024,” Fubara emphasised. “Based on this, I instructed RSIEC to take steps to conduct local government elections in Rivers State, which will now take place on Saturday, October 5, 2024.”

He stressed that RSIEC is fully ready for the election, with 17 out of 18 enrolled political parties, including the All Progressives Congress (APC), participating by presenting candidates.

“As the Rivers State Governor, I am dedicated to supporting the Nigerian constitution, the legal system, and the democratic norms,” Fubara stressed, warning that failure to conduct the election would be in breach of the Supreme Court’s order and would result in the state being denied legal allocations.

Fubara also cited a September 4, 2024, Rivers State High Court judgement in Suit No. PHC/2696/CS/2024, which directed the Governor, the State Government, and RSIEC to conduct the election using the 2023 INEC Voters Register.