Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara has foiled an attempt by the Nigerian Police, led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations), to take over the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) at 1 AM on Friday, 4th October, 2024.
The rogue policemen were said to have attempted to scale through the gates and strong room of the Commission to cart away sensitive Electoral materials meant for the conduct of Saturday’s local government election in the State.
The deployment was said to have been ordered by the Inspector-General of Police.
However, the evil plots of the rogue policemen and DC Ops were botched when vigilant security officials alerted principal officers of the Commission and relevant government authorities, who immediately informed the Governor of the development.
The Governor immediately led a team of government officials, lawmakers from the National Assembly and State House of Assembly, top political stakeholders, and other leaders to storm the facility.
Addressing newsmen in front of RSIEC Office on Aba Road in Port Harcourt, after an encounter with the rogue policemen, the State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara condemned the conduct of the policemen on illegal duty, saying that the IGP was taking his friendship with some Abuja-based politicians too far.
He restated the position that the attempt to surreptitiously withdraw policemen already deployed to protect the facility, and replace them with a detachment from a neighbouring State was unacceptable.
He reminded the IGP that local government election was the internal affairs of states, and advised him to allow the federation unit conduct its affairs without interference.
At present, the Chief of Staff, the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, and State and National Assembly members, alongside other stakeholders, are manning the RSIEC office to ensure that the rogur policemen in two trucks and two Hilux vehicles do not return and that elections will go ahead as scheduled on Saturday.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, successfully thwarted an attempt by rogue policemen, led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations), to take control of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) in the early hours of Friday, 4th October 2024. The incident occurred ahead of the local government elections scheduled for Saturday.
The rogue officers reportedly attempted to breach the gates and the strong room of the Commission, aiming to seize sensitive electoral materials. Sources revealed that the deployment of these officers was allegedly sanctioned by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP).
Alerted by vigilant security personnel, who detected the intrusion, the RSIEC officials and government authorities immediately notified Governor Fubara. In response, the Governor swiftly mobilized a team, including lawmakers from both the National and State Assemblies, prominent political figures, and key stakeholders, to confront the situation at the RSIEC headquarters on Aba Road, Port Harcourt.
In an address to the press outside the RSIEC office, Governor Fubara condemned the actions of the policemen, denouncing the illegal operation. He accused the IGP of overstepping his boundaries by using his connections with certain politicians in Abuja to meddle in the state's internal electoral affairs.
The Governor emphasized that local government elections fall within the exclusive jurisdiction of state governments, warning that any external interference was unacceptable. He criticized the removal of previously assigned security personnel and their replacement with officers from a neighboring state, insisting that such maneuvers undermined the integrity of the electoral process.
To ensure the elections proceed smoothly, key government figures, including the Chief of Staff, the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, and other stakeholders, are maintaining a presence at the RSIEC office. Their efforts aim to prevent the return of the rogue officers and safeguard the electoral materials ahead of Saturday's vote.
