There is growing tension in the political landscape as four states—Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Benue, and Jigawa—conduct local council elections today.
The situation is particularly charged in Rivers State, where the camps of Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Federal Capital Territory Minister, Chief Nyesom Wike, are engaged in a fierce battle for control of grassroots political structures.
As of press time, the outcome of the elections in Rivers remained uncertain due to conflicting signals from various quarters. The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) expressed support for the elections, urging its members to participate. In contrast, the Rivers State chapter of the PDP, loyal to Wike, called on residents and party members to boycott the elections.
The Police, citing court orders, announced they would not provide security services in Rivers and urged other security agencies to follow suit. However, Governor Fubara accused the Police of bias and stated that the elections would proceed with the backing of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), regardless of the court order.
In a related development, the Action Peoples Party (APP) disowned a faction claiming to represent the party’s authentic leadership in Rivers, supporting RSIEC’s decision to proceed with the elections.
In Akwa Ibom, both Governor Umo Eno of the PDP and Senate President Godswill Akpabio of the All Progressives Congress (APC) expressed confidence in their respective parties’ chances of victory, with Eno predicting a landslide win for the PDP.
In Benue State, the ruling APC and main opposition PDP are engaged in a contentious rivalry, viewed as a precursor to the 2027 general elections.
The local council polls today are part of a broader push by states to ensure democratically-elected councils, following a recent Supreme Court ruling halting federal allocations to councils without elected officials. The ruling mandated that elections be conducted within 90 days.
Other states have scheduled council elections for the following dates: Plateau (October 9), Kogi (October 19), Kaduna (October 19), Cross River (October 26), Kano (October 26), Abia (November 2), Nasarawa (November 2), Ogun (November 16), Ondo (January 18, 2025), Katsina (February 15, 2025), and Osun (February 22, 2025).
As the local elections approach, Governor Fubara criticized the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and the entire Nigeria Police Force, accusing them of serving the interests of an Abuja-based politician to undermine the elections. He reiterated that the local government election, scheduled just hours away, cannot be halted due to the wishes of a specific individual.
Fubara noted that all necessary preparations, including legal, security, and logistical arrangements, had been completed, with voters already sensitized about the process. He expressed disappointment that the Police had allegedly invaded the RSIEC office and attempted to seize sensitive materials.