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Breaking News: Rivers LG Polls Under Fire: Electoral College Faults Elections Amid Emergency Rule
The Executive Director of the Electoral College of Nigeria, Kunle Lawal, has strongly criticised the conduct of the local government elections in Rivers State, raising concerns over credibility and voter participation in the exercise.
Speaking on Saturday, as residents of the oil-rich state went to the polls to elect chairpersons and councillors across its 23 local government areas, Lawal argued that the declaration of emergency rule had already undermined democratic structures.
“I don’t see democracy in someone that was appointed, creating the elected. The elected is always supposed to precede the appointed,” Lawal said.
He stressed that the suspension of democratic institutions through the president’s declaration of a state of emergency raised doubts about the legitimacy of the polls.
“Now, Rivers is under an emergency rule prepared by the president. Section 305 clearly states that democratic structures are suspended indefinitely. In similar cases reported in Plateau and Adamawa, local government elections were not held because they fell within the emergency period,” he noted.
Lawal further highlighted the volatile history of Rivers State’s council elections, questioning the fairness of a process in which both the sole administrator and the state electoral commissioner were appointed under the emergency arrangement.
“There is a lot of conversation around the practicality of these local government elections within political parties and among Rivers indigenes. These conversations have led to quite a mistrust,” he added.
According to him, the situation would significantly affect voter turnout.
“Ordinarily, less than 6.5 per cent of the voting population participates in local government elections in Rivers State. With the current challenges surrounding the process, turnout may be even lower. My projection is between 4.5 and 5 per cent participation,” Lawal predicted during a weekend breakfast show.
The comments come as stakeholders continue to debate the legality, fairness, and practicality of holding elections under a state of emergency in one of Nigeria’s most politically volatile states.