Planned Rivers state local government election na sign of return to democratic rule?

After more dan two years of political crisis for di oil rich State for Southern Nigeria, Rivers State political landscape don begin stabilize wit di local goment elections wey dem reschedule.

Dis na as di Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) release a revised timetable for di election.

Dis one na sign to show say dem wan restore democratic governance for di State.

RSIEC officials meet wit "critical stakeholders" wey include leaders of political parties, traditional rulers, security agencies, civil society groups, religious leaders, academics, and media pipo on Monday to finalize preparations for di local goment elections.

Na di newly appointed RSIEC Chairman, Dr Michael Ekpali Odey, call di meeting.

Na for dia e conclude wit di announcement say elections into di 319 wards and 23 local goment councils go now hold on 30 August 2025, wey be 21 days later dan di original date of August 9 wey di former RSIEC Chairman, Justice Adolphus Enebeli Rtd bin announce.

According to di new timetable, political parties dey expected to express interest in di elections between July 28 and 30, while party primaries for chairmanship and councillorship positions suppose hold on 2 August 2025.

Campaigns go start on 20 August 2025, ahead of di 30 August election day.

How Political parties react to di new LGA Council election date?

Different political parties react differently to di announcement by RSIEC as some dey ready to cooperate and work wit di new timetable while odas say dem no go participate.

Dem say na sake of some legal issues wey surround recent developments, even as odas say dem go review di situation and take a decision later.

For di Peoples Democratic Party PDP, di State Chairman Aaron Chukwuemeka say di party dey ready to swing into action to conduct primaries wey go produce candidates for di election.

While for di APC, di Tony Okocha led faction dey ready for di polls, but di one led by Emeka Beke say dem no go follow for dis illegal exercise.

But tok tok pesin for Rivers APC, Darlington Nwauju tell BBC Pidgin say, "dis na a continuation of di illegality wey don dey happen for Rivers State and we no go be a party to continue am."

"If Inec wey be di baba of election for di kontri say sake of di emergency rule wey dey Rivers State, dem no go fit conduct bye elections for Khana Constituency 2 for di Rivers State House of Assembly, [wey di member wey bin dey represent am, Dinebari Loolo die for 2023], den on wat grounds wey RSIEC dey stand to conduct local goment elections for di State?

"So we as APC no go participate for dat kain illegality." E tok.

For di Action Peoples Party (APP) wey bin win 22 of di 23 LG seat for di last local council elections wey di Supreme Court nullify, di coming elections dey pose some serious legal kwesions wey dem dey ready to ask both di Commission and di law courts.

Dis na becos di legal adviser of Action Peoples Party APP, Henry Ekine observe say di chairman of RSIEC bin don justify di postponement of di local goment election from 9 August sake of di State of emergency wey dey Rivers State.

"So di fundamental kwesion now na if di situation wey Rivers State dey today, dat is di State of emergency, na di reason to postpone di election from 9 August, dem mean say by if by di 30th of August 2025 di State of emergency still dey dem go postpone di election again?"

How di mata reach dis point?

Di rescheduling of di Rivers Local Goment elections dey follow di Supreme Court ruling on February 28, 2025, wey nullify di October 5, 2024, council elections wey govnor Siminialayi Fubara bin conduct, citing violations of di 2022 Electoral Act.

Di Supreme court rule say di process, wey di former RSIEC Chairman Justice Adolphus Enebeli Rtd carry out, bin dey wrong and lack legal basis.

E also bar di Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from releasing dia voters register to RSIEC at di time.

Although di Court of Appeal bin don overturn di lower court decision, di All Progressives Congress (APC) pursue di matter to di Supreme Court, wey uphold di original judgment. Dis ruling effectively dissolve all 23 local councils.

Following dis judgement, govnor Fubara say e go abide by di decision of di Supreme Court and call all di former local goment chairmen wey bin dey under di Action Peoples Party APP to step aside and handover to do Head of Local Government Administration.

Sake of di political crisis wey bin dey di State, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu declare a state of emergency in Rivers State on 18 March 18, 2025, for an initial six months.

E suspend di elected govnor, deputy govnor Prof Ngozi Odu, and di House of Assembly and den appoint Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas Rtd as Sole Administrator to manage di State during di emergency period.

Now di e don reach di fifth month, as di emergency rule dey expected to expire on September 18, 2025. As part of di transition back to democratic governance, Ibas dey oversee preparations for di local elections, even though many pesins dey challenge di Rivers State emergency rule for both federal and State High Courts.

Controversy around di RSIEC chairman

Di appointment of Dr Michael Odey, a retired INEC official as di RSIEC Chairman bin spark some controversy.

Dis na becos particular Dr Odey no be Rivers prsin, e come from Cross River and e come without any consultation wit di suspended state leadership.

However, after a conciliatory visit to di National Assembly, tensions reduce and di National Assembly approve im appointment.

For di meeting on Monday, Dr Odey assure all political stakeholders and di pipo of Rivers State say di commission go deliver a free, fair, peaceful, and credible local goment elections.

As di countdown now officially dey on, di coming weeks go dey critical to determine how fast Rivers State fit return to democratic normalcy after months of federal intervention and emergency rule.