Written by Davis Iheamunakor
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State has called on its members and the general public to boycott the local government elections scheduled for tomorrow, October 5th.
The party also warned Governor Siminiarai Hubala not to proceed with the election in defiance of the Federal High Court’s ruling.
Chairman of the Rivers State PDP, Chukwuemeka Aaron, issued a statement in Port Harcourt, stressing that no one should participate in elections that are contrary to the court ruling. Aaron called on residents to ignore any announcements regarding the vote, stressing that holding the election would be against the law.
He reaffirmed the PDP’s determination to uphold the rule of law, stressing that neither the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) nor the state government has the power to selectively comply with court orders.
“The PDP, after considering all the cases surrounding local government elections, has concluded that even the ruling party in Rivers State cannot support or abet illegal activities. They must be respected and you cannot choose which court orders to follow and which to ignore,” Aaron said.
He called on Governor Nunohara, a PDP member, to abide by the decision of the Federal High Court and cancel the planned elections. Mr Aaron commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for complying with the court ruling by not releasing the voter register to the RSIEC, a key requirement for elections.
“We thank INEC for upholding the truth and following the judgment of the Federal High Court. They have made it clear that the voter register has not been provided to RSIEC. I commend them for their support,” Aaron added.
He said announcing election results despite the suspension would be seen as a provocation and an invitation to violence, adding: “Any attempt to announce the results of an election that should not have taken place will be considered an illegal act and will not be tolerated.” ‘ he warned. In accordance with the court order, local government elections in Rivers State will not be held on October 5. ”
The PDP called on residents to stand firm in upholding the rule of law and fully complying with the court’s decision.
