By Editor
PORT HARCOURT, Rivers State — In a state embroiled in political upheaval, the battle lines in Rivers State have been drawn once again as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) prepare for a legal showdown over the controversial local government elections. The electoral process, which culminated in the swearing-in of the newly elected council chairmen on Sunday, has raised the stakes in Rivers’ political landscape. While Governor Siminalayi Fubara took a victory lap by inaugurating the new local government officials, the opposition parties have sounded the battle cry, branding the entire process illegal and vowing to seek justice through the courts.
A Crisis Born Out of Explosions and Gunfire
The local government elections held on Saturday across Rivers State were marred by violence and insecurity. Explosions and gunfire disrupted the electoral process, yet the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) pressed on, eventually declaring the Action Peoples Party (APP) as the dominant winner, securing 22 of the 23 chairmanship positions, with Action Alliance (AA) winning one. Of the 319 councillorship seats, APP also took 314.
The atmosphere of fear and tension underscored a deeper political struggle between Governor Fubara and his immediate predecessor, Nyesom Wike. Once allies, Fubara’s falling out with Wike created a seismic shift in the political order. Losing control of the PDP to Wike’s loyalists, Fubara’s supporters defected en masse to the APP, a move that would secure them disputed local government victories.
The Political Earthquake: PDP Challenges the Polls
In a heated press conference hours after the newly elected chairmen were sworn in, the Rivers State PDP made its position unequivocally clear: no election had taken place, and any attempt to legitimise the outcome would be met with legal resistance. The party’s Publicity Secretary, Kenneth Yowika, lambasted the election as a “charade” and vowed that the PDP would challenge the results in court.
“We are pressing further through the courts to ensure that justice is done and seen to have been done,” Yowika declared. “So, we do not agree nor do we recognise any swearing-in taking place today or tomorrow.”
The PDP’s legal stance is grounded in a Federal High Court judgment barring the conduct of the local government elections. The court ruling, delivered by Justice Peter Lifu, explicitly prohibited the election from going forward. Yowika highlighted the state’s disregard for this legal directive as a violation of the rule of law.
“Everything concerning this issue is illegal,” he continued. “If we are truly a country that stands by the rule of law, then we should not be doing things that are contrary to the law. The government ignored the Federal High Court judgment and conducted a sham election.”
APC Joins the Fray: A Divided Opposition
The APC, though divided within itself, has also weighed in on the controversial election. While the faction loyal to former Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi expressed satisfaction with the election results, declaring their sole councillorship victory as sufficient, the Tony Okocha-led APC bloc aligned itself with the PDP in denouncing the election as illegitimate.
Chibuike Ikenga, the Publicity Secretary for the Okocha faction of the APC, echoed the PDP’s legal arguments. “As a party, we insist on obeying the decisions of the Federal High Court under Justice Peter Lifu,” Ikenga stated. “The government, known for its disobedience of court orders, went ahead with the election anyway. So, they are on their own.”
Ikenga emphasised that the APC would continue to pursue legal action. “We are pressing further through the courts to ensure that justice is done. We do not recognize any swearing-in. It is an illegal exercise.”
Fubara’s Calculated Defiance
Despite the legal opposition from both the PDP and segments of the APC, Governor Fubara remains undeterred. Swearing in the newly elected council chairmen at the Executive Council Chamber of the Government House in Port Harcourt, Fubara declared that Rivers State had entered a new era of transformation.
Addressing the chairmen, the governor framed the crisis as a struggle to “salvage the local government system” from forces seeking its destruction. “We were confronted with a situation where the local governments of this state were heading for doom,” Fubara said. “But because of the genuine love we have for this state, we must salvage the local government system. And to the glory of God, that has been done and dusted.”
Fubara, conscious of the growing tension, sought to assure Rivers residents that his administration would remain peaceful and law-abiding. “We are not going to be a party to anything leading to the breakdown of law and order in this state,” he promised. “We will engage peacefully to protect the state’s assets.”
The Fubara-Wike Power Struggle
At the heart of the political crisis in Rivers State is the bitter power struggle between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike. Once political allies, the fallout between the two has not only fractured the PDP but also thrown the state’s political dynamics into disarray.
Wike, who remains a formidable figure in Rivers politics, has not taken kindly to Fubara’s breakaway faction aligning with the APP. Wike’s loyalists in the PDP view the APP victories in the local government elections as a direct threat to their political dominance. With Wike pulling the strings behind the scenes, the PDP’s challenge to the election results is seen as part of a broader attempt to maintain control over the state.
Fubara, on the other hand, has accused Wike’s camp of attempting to “destroy” the local government system for political gain. The governor’s rhetoric has painted Wike’s allies as “destructive political forces” bent on undermining the will of the people.
A Legal Storm Looms
The legal battle over the local government elections is poised to be a long and drawn-out affair. Both the PDP and APC are preparing to contest the legality of the polls in court, arguing that the state government’s actions violated the Federal High Court judgment.
Legal analysts predict that the case could drag on for months, if not years, as it winds its way through the courts. The stakes are high: control of the local governments in Rivers State is not merely a matter of governance but a key instrument of political power. With the governorship elections on the horizon, the outcome of this legal fight could shape the future of Rivers State politics.
The Factions Within the APC: A House Divided
The reaction of the APC to the election results reflects the deep divisions within the party. While the Okocha faction has aligned itself with the PDP in opposing the elections, the Amaechi faction has taken a more conciliatory approach, accepting the results and vowing not to contest them in court.
Chizi Enyi, Chief of Staff to APC Chairman Emeka Beke, stated that the party was satisfied with its sole councillorship victory. “We accept the outcome and will not litigate it,” Enyi said.
This split within the APC raises questions about the party’s ability to mount a unified front in future elections. As the 2027 governorship race looms, the fragmentation within the APC could weaken its chances of reclaiming the state from the PDP or APP.
The Governor’s Directive to the New Chairmen
Amidst the political turmoil, Governor Fubara had a clear message for the newly sworn-in council chairmen: avoid confrontation and focus on delivering for the people. In a direct appeal to the chairmen, Fubara urged them to “remain connected” to the residents of their local government areas and to resolve conflicts peacefully.
“For the newly sworn-in chairmen, I want you to see yourselves as servants. Once you see yourself as an emperor, that is where the problem begins. This is an opportunity to bring people together and deliver for the people of Rivers State,” the governor stated.
Fubara’s words reflect his desire to avoid further conflict and maintain stability in the state, even as his administration faces mounting legal challenges.
Conclusion: A Deepening Crisis in Rivers State
The political crisis in Rivers State is far from over. With the PDP and APC heading to court, the legality of the local government elections will be contested in the months ahead. The struggle between Governor Fubara and Nyesom Wike has fractured the political landscape, and the upcoming legal battles are likely to exacerbate tensions further.
As the drama unfolds, the people of Rivers State are left in the crossfire, watching as their leaders fight for power and control. Whether through the courts or at the ballot box, the future of Rivers politics remains uncertain. Governor Fubara may have sworn in the local government chairmen, but the legitimacy of their positions hangs in the balance. As the legal battle intensifies, Rivers State could be on the cusp of yet another political upheaval.
With reporting from Kalada Jumbo, Atlantic Post Political Correspondent
