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Protesters on Thursday stormed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) headquarters in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Naija News reports that the protest will take place two days before the local government elections scheduled for October 5, 2024.
A large number of demonstrators showed up at party headquarters, prompting the intervention of security forces to quell the crowd and ease traffic congestion in the area, sources said.
According to Channels Television, the demonstration came in the wake of growing concerns over the postponement of the distribution of the 2023 voter list by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission.
Recall that Justice Peter Riff of the Federal High Court, Abuja, in a judgment issued on September 30, 2024, restrained INEC from handing over the voter register to RSIEC citing legal disputes.
Despite the legal decision, Governor Siminaray Hubala remained adamant that the elections would be held as scheduled.
Hubala was optimistic that the Supreme Court’s previous ruling, which required all states in the federation to democratically elect local officials, would support his position.
In a statewide broadcast on Wednesday, the canton of Hubala declared Thursday and Friday (October 3 and 4) public holidays ahead of the upcoming local elections in the province.
Hubara said the government remained committed to upholding the Nigerian Constitution and adhering to the rule of law and democratic principles.
According to him, if the administration fails to conduct local government elections, it is a clear disobedience to the Supreme Court’s mandatory directive that no state government should run local government councils in Nigeria with unelected officers. It is said that
Hubara said the two-day public holiday would prevent residents of the state from traveling to different communities, while stating that the government had given the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) the necessary steps to conduct the elections. He said that he would be able to participate in elections. Complete election on Saturday, October 5th.
Mr. Tomihara also ordered strict restrictions on residents’ vehicle movements from midnight on Friday, October 4 until 5 p.m. on election day.
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