Heavy protest erupts in Port Harcourt over Rivers LG poll

Hundreds of protesters comprising members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) have stormed the streets of Port Harcourt, Rivers state, to warn against the move to conduct the October 5, local government elections in the state.

The stakeholders, who displayed various placards, converged at the PDP Secretariat in Port Harcourt and marched along the Azikiwe Road towards the Government House.

It was gathered that heavy security personnel and security patrol vans were deployed to monitor the protest.

The aggrieved stakeholders said there was a Federal High Court judgement stopping the elections, urging the state government and the Rivers Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) to obey the judgement.

The protesters marched from the PDP secretariat along the Port Harcourt-Aba Expressway to the Department of State Security Service (DSS) office and the police headquarters.

The PDP chairman in the state, Chukwuemeka Aaron, said the PDP as a law-abiding party complied with the judgement by opting out of the election and called on the police and DSS to prevail on the government to comply with the judgement.

He further said to avoid causing a crisis in the state, the election should not be held.

Aaron said: “There was a court judgement on the 30th of September, 2024 restraining RSIEC from conducting elections in Rivers State, the reason being that they never complied with the laws of the elections and then restraining the security agencies and also INEC not to give them voters’ register.

“We as a party, have also agreed to comply with the orders and judgements given and we are not participating in that election.”

The PDP chairman said no man should be regarded as being higher than the law,

He said: “This order must be obeyed by the state government and RSIEC for peace to reign in Rivers State, we want to beg you to tell them that we don’t want problems in Rivers State, we need peace in Rivers State, so let there be no election”.

Aaron, however, urged party faithful not to take the laws into their hands

He said: “We have registered our grievances with authorities that are concerned so as we are going, I want us to go peacefully.”

 The protest was led by notable supporters of the FCT Minister such as House of Representatives Minority Leader, Okechukwu Chinda, House of Representatives Chairman on Host Committee, Dum Dekor, Emeka Woke – NOSDRA DG, Kelechi Nworgu representing Etche/ Omuma Federal Constituency, former House of Representatives member, Emma Deeyah Felix Nwaeke representing Tai/ Oyigbo Federal Constituency and former state PDP chairman, Desmond Akawor.

Others were former local government chairmen such as Chidi Lloyd (Emohua), Erastus Awortu (Andoni), Obarillomate Ollor (Eleme), Hope Ikiriko (Ahoada West), George Ariolu (Obio/Akpor) amongst others.