In a significant political development, one of the fringe parties in Nigeria, the Action Peoples Party (APP) has won Saturday’s Local Government polls in Rivers State in a landslide fashion, securing all the 22 chairmanship results declared so far out of the 23 positions contested.
The Chairman of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), Justice Adolphus Enebeli, described the elections as free and fair.
Announcing the results, Enebeli said that the winners secured two-third majority votes in their respective wards across the 23 Local Government Areas (LGA) in the state.
“Results for 19 Wards in Etche LGA are still being collated, while the results for the 319 councillorship positions across the 23 LGAs will be announced in due course,” he said.
Justice Enebeli further said that elections were conducted in all the 6,866 units in 319 Wards, with 18 of the 19 political parties participating.
“The elections, which concluded at 3 p.m., recorded a significant voter turnout, with many defying the rain to cast their ballots,” he said.
He commended the political parties and residents for their dedication to ensuring a smooth election process.
The RSIEC boss kdeclared those who polled the highest number of votes duly elected Chairmen of their respective LGAs.
The list of the successful Chairmen included Vincent Obu (Abua/Odual), Chibudom Ezu (Ahoada-East), Iyekor Ikporo (Ahoada-West), Mrs Tonye Briggs-Oniyide (Akuku-Toru), Lazarus Nteogwuile (Andoni), and Dr Sule Amachree (Asari-Toru).
Others were Dame Anengi Barasua (Bonny), Dr Harry Agiriye (Degema), Chief Brain Gokpa (Eleme), David Omereji (Emohua), Monday Dumiye (Gokana), and Isreal Abosi (Ikwerre).
Also declared winners were Martins Nwigbo (Khana), Chijioke Ihunwo (Obio/Akpor), and Isaac Umejuru (Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni), Ishmael Oforibika (Ogu/Bolo), Igwe Achese (Okrika), and Promise Reginald (Omuma).
The rest were Enyiada Cookey-Gam (Opobo/Nkoro), Gift Okere (Oyibo), Ezebunwo Ichemati (Port Harcourt) and Matthew Dike (Tai).
The declaration of the results was witnessed by agents of the 18 political parties, members of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), and civil society groups, among others .
The APP, according to investigation, is said to be the alternative political structure for Rivers State Governor, Siminaliya Fubara, who has been at loggerheads with his estranged godfather, ex Governor Nyesom Wike. The Federal Capital Territory minister maintains an vice grip on the PDP structure in the state and political observers are of the opinion that Governor Fubara can’t survive politically under such a suffocating atmosphere.
The faction of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) loyal to Governor Fubara did not take part in the election.
