Rivers indigenes sue FG, RSIEC over planned LG poll

Five indigenes of Rivers State have dragged the Federal Government, the sole administrator of the state, retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, and the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) to the Federal High Court, Abuja, seeking to halt plans to conduct local government elections on Aug. 30. The plaintiffs, Fredrick Ededeh, Benita Samuel, Jane Madubuike, […]

Five indigenes of Rivers State have dragged the Federal Government, the sole administrator of the state, retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, and the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) to the Federal High Court, Abuja, seeking to halt plans to conduct local government elections on Aug. 30.

The plaintiffs, Fredrick Ededeh, Benita Samuel, Jane Madubuike, Boma Aggo and Comfort Agbom, said the state government under Ibas had fixed the date despite the subsistence of a state of emergency.

Through their counsel, Mr Sunday Ezema, they argued that the Rivers government under Ibas had announced the election date while the state was still under emergency rule declared earlier this year by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1144/2025, asks the court to determine whether council polls can be lawfully held during a state of emergency.

Citing the State of Emergency (Rivers State) Proclamation, 2025, the plaintiffs recalled that the president had declared a “clear and present danger” of an imminent breakdown of public order, peace and security in the state.

According to them, the proclamation, issued on March 18, has neither been revoked nor suspended, and the situation that prompted it has not abated. As such, they contend, any attempt to hold elections under the prevailing conditions would be unlawful.

They further argued that conducting elections during a state of emergency—when public order and safety cannot be guaranteed—would undermine the integrity of the process and disenfranchise voters who may be unwilling or unable to participate amid instability.

The plaintiffs are seeking a declaration that the state of emergency remains in effect until at least six months after its proclamation and that neither the Rivers government, the sole administrator, nor RSIEC can lawfully conduct council polls during this period.

They are also asking the court to declare any election conducted on Aug. 30, or any other date within the emergency period, “illegal, unconstitutional, null and void.”

In the event the elections go ahead, they want the outcome set aside.

The plaintiffs drew parallels with the last local government elections held under former Governor Siminalayi Fubara, which were nullified by the court due to irregularities. They said the present case raised similar legal concerns, compounded by the emergency situation.

Among their reliefs is a declaration that the clear and present danger that led to the proclamation of a state of emergency on March 18 remains in force until at least six months after that date.

They also urged the court for a declaration that the Rivers government, the sole administrator, and RSIEC cannot lawfully conduct council polls during the emergency and that any election held during this period is invalid.

The suit, filed on Aug. 11, has yet to be assigned to a judge for hearing. (NAN)