By Philip Ezuma, Port Harcourt
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has declared that the October 5th Local Government election in the State is sacrosanct, saying no amount of propaganda will stop the election.
He said his conviction stems from the Supreme Court judgment that all states in the federation should have democratically elected local government executives, Mr. President’s 90 days window to states to comply with the Supreme Court ruling, and the substantive judgment by the Rivers State High Court that mandates the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) to conduct the election.
Governor Fubara made the declaration when members of the Rivers State Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) led by its Chairman, Solsuema Osaro paid him a courtesy visit at Government House, Port Harcourt on Wednesday.
The Governor, who expressed concern why people who earlier ascribed to the fact that parties are only a vehicle that convey people to positions of leadership and boosted to win all elective positions in the 23 local government areas if elections are conducted, are now scared to participate in the slated polls.
He assured that any attempt by anybody or group of people to disrupt the democratic process that is genuinely pursued in the State will be fought by the gods of the land.
“I am really happy that the Chairman, IPAC, has said a few things. But, the records need to be properly presented to the public. There is no going back on the election come the 5th of October. There is no amount of propaganda, be it from the Judiciary end, be it from the law enforcement end …, that election would hold.
“What is the reason: first the Supreme Court has ruled that every state must migrate to elected local government executives. Among the states affected, 10 of these states have already held their elections, and if I am not mistaken, I stand to be corrected. They used the 2023 voters register. Outside that, Mr. President, after the Supreme Court ruling, gave a window of 90 days when we went as governors to meet him, ensure that all the processes are completed.
“The issue of the court cases here and there, I can tell you, it is not an issue to stop the election. There is a substantive judgment giving the RSIEC all powers to ensure that election holds. And we are standing by that judgment to support RSIEC for the election”, he added.