Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State has sworn in 23 newly elected local government chairmen following the conclusion of local elections conducted by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC). The swearing-in ceremony, held Sunday at the Executive Council Chambers of the Government House in Port Harcourt, marks the beginning of their tenure.
The event was attended by Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, who also serves as Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum.
Governor Fubara expressed his satisfaction with the successful conduct of the elections, stating, “It takes the help of God to survive the past few days.” He commended President Bola Tinubu for upholding democratic principles, further appreciating the federal government’s non-interference.
Reaffirming his commitment to the PDP despite recent challenges, Fubara emphasized the importance of decisive leadership. “A desperate situation requires desperate action,” he said. “What we did with the support of the people was to salvage the local government councils.”
Fubara urged the newly elected chairmen to serve with humility and prioritize the development of their local government areas. “You are not emperors, but servants of the people,” he advised. He also reminded them that the local government needs development and that they should work for the citizens, “who are the real political structure.”
Earlier on Sunday, RSIEC issued certificates of return to the newly elected chairmen. The Action People’s Party (APP) secured 22 of the 23 chairmanship positions, while the collation of results for Etche Local Government Area was delayed. A day after the election, RSIEC declared Uzodinma Nwafor of the Action Alliance (AA) as the winner in Etche.
RSIEC Chairman Adolphus Enebeli described the elections as “free, fair, and credible” despite tensions, adding that the commission “adopted the principle of bi-location because of the exigencies.” Polls closed at 3 p.m., recording a large voter turnout.
The election was observed by members of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), independent electoral body chairmen from other states, and the Nigerian Bar Association.
