Di Rivers state local government election go still happun on Saturday?

Rivers State Governor, Siminialayi Joseph Fubara say di local goment elections go hold as scheduled on Saturday 5 October, 2024.

E tok dis one for one press briefing for Government House Port Harcourt.

Dis na after some policemen bin wan take over di Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission RSIEC office early morning of Friday 4 October, 2024.

Di Governor explain say e get di security signal wey say di Nigerian Police dey follow di Federal High Court Abuja judgement by Justice Lifu wey order di police not to provide security for di local goment election but dem surprise to see anoda detachment of police wey go to take over di RSIEC office and dem resist dem.

"We shock to see some fierce-looking policemen for police vans wey try to force dia way into di RSIEC premises and we get to stop dem.

In di course of dat process, we discover say dat na deliberate attempt by di Nigerian Police to steal di electoral materials." Di governor allege.

Di Governor note say oda states don conduct local goment elections in accordance with di law and wonder why Rivers State one dey different.

Di Governor say if di court restrain di police from providing security, e no stop oda security agencies from providing same and so dat wan no go stop di conduct of di local goment election and e go hold as scheduled.

Wetin police tok?

Rivers State Police Command for statement wey police tok tok pesin SP Grace Iringe-Koko sign say sake of a Federal High Court Abuja restraining order of on 19 July 2024 preventing di Nigerian Police and oda security agencies for providing security for di local goment election and with di judgement wey di court deliver on 30 September 2024, to again prohibit di Nigerian Police and oda security agencies from participating in di local goment election, dem dey advised by di Force Legal Department say, di ruling from di Federal High Court on September 30 2024 take precedence and dem dey follow dat one.

"In view of di above, di Nigerian Police Force dey advised by di Force Legal Department to comply with di judgement of di Federal High Court dated September 30, 2024 wey stop di Nigerian Police from allowing, participating in, providing security for or taking part in di Rivers State Local goment election on October 5 2024. All oda security agencies dey implored to comply with di Federal High Court judgment." She tok.

But Governor Fubara say even if di police no provide security, dem go provide security for demsefs as oda security agencies dey but e say di police get di fundamental and constitutional duty to provide security for evri citizen and so e go good if dem go retrace demsefs.

Di govnor note say police no suppose be part of di election process itself as dem no suppose dey polling unit or di voting centres but na to ensure say nobody come disrupt di election process, "dia own na to ensure say di lives of di pipo dey protected."

Wetin di court orders tok?

On 6 September 2024, Justice I.P.C Igwe of di State High court order RSIEC to go ahead wit di election as dem don plan am.

Di court say di council polls dey in line wit Nigeria Constitution and make all di pipo wey dey involved make sure say e happun.

But on Monday 30 September 2024, anoda order come out from Justice Peter Lifu of di Federal High Court Abuja wey say make di election no hold based on application by group wey say dem dey represent All Progressives Congress (APC).

Justice Lifu of di Federal High court Abuja say "RSIEC don fail to comply wit key provisions of di electoral law, including di requirement to publish a 90-day notice before setting an election date."

"Make di Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec) no release di certified voters register until RSIEC don meet all legal conditions and stop RSIEC from accepting or using any register provided by INEC for di election."

Na dis judgment na im di police say dem dey follow.

Meanwhile, RSIEC don distribute materials for di conduct of di local goment elections to di 23 local goment areas for di state.

Rivers State bin declare two days public holidays on Thursday 3 and Friday 4 October to enable pipo travel to dia communities for di election.

For state broadcast late Wednesday evening, Governor Fubara declare restriction of movement from 12 midnight on Friday 4 October to 5pm on Saturday 5 October 2024 same day of di election.

On Thursday, some PDP members carry protest waka to di police Headquarters for Port Harcourt against di conduct of di elections.