There shall be local government council elections on Saturday, 9th August 2025, in all the 23 Local Government Areas in Rivers State.
The Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) has set the date of August 9, 2025 as the date for a new election to be held in the state’s local government.
On Wednesday, during a meeting with stakeholders in Port Harcourt, the chairman of the RSIEC, Justice Adolphus Enebeli (rtd), made the announcement regarding the revised election date.
The chairman stated, “In exercise of the powers conferred on the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission by section 5 of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission law no 2 of 2018 and all other powers as enabling it on the behalf to provide guidelines to political parties, stipulating the rules and procedures for electioneering campaigns for the 2025 Local Government elections and any reruns and by-elections that might arise thereafter.
“The commission hereby makes the following rules and regulations; there shall be local government council elections on Saturday, 9th August 2025, in all the 23 Local Government Areas in Rivers State.”
The chairman has been called before the State House of Assembly to appear before it within the next forty-eight hours over the conduct of the elections for the local government during the year 2024.
In addition, at the plenary session that took place on Wednesday and was presided over by the Speaker of the House, Martin Amaewhule, the House threatened to issue a warrant of arrest for the Chairman of the RSIEC in the event that he did not appear before the House before the expiration of the ultimatum.
Furthermore, the House of Representatives made the decision to write a letter to Governor Siminalayi Fubara, requesting that he send the names of all of his commissioners to the House, even though the Amaewhule-led Assembly did not screen them.
IREPORT247NEW recall that Fubara stipulated that the departing chairmen of local governments must formally hand over their responsibilities to the Heads of Local Government Administration by the deadline of Monday, March 3, 2025.
In response to the decision made by the Supreme Court, Fubara issued the command during a broadcast that was televised throughout the entire state from Government House in Port Harcourt on Sunday evening.
He said, “Furthermore, given the outlawing of caretaker arrangements in the local government system, I hereby direct the Heads of Local Government Administration to immediately take over the administration of the 23 local government councils pending the conduct of fresh elections by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission.
“I further direct the outgoing local government chairmen to formally hand over the levers of power to the Heads of Local Government Administration by Monday, 3rd March, 2025.
“We are all aware of the recent Supreme Court judgments and pronouncements regarding aspects of the lingering political disputes in our dear state.
“Although we disagree with the judgments, we are bound to obey the orders made therein as a law-abiding government.
“Since inception, we have conducted the affairs of government within the framework of our Constitution, due process and the rule of law.
“While we are not above mistakes because we are humans, we believe that we have not, as a government, done anything deliberately to trample on the rule of law or the hallowed principles of constitutional governance.
“Accordingly, I have had a meeting with my team of lawyers, and they have assured me that the certified true copy of the judgements may be available to them by Friday, 7th March, 2025.
“I assure you that upon the receipt of certified judgements, we shall study their ramifications and implement them without reservations to move the state forward.”
After Fubara, has made the decision to implement the Supreme Court’s verdict on the local government elections in the state.
The Action Peoples Party (APP) placed its support behind this move. It was regarded as a proof of a leader who is committed to the rule of law and a demonstration of statemanship by the party, which won 22 out of the 23 local government chairmanship seats in Rivers State.
The party that is currently in power at the local government level in Rivers, which is led by Barr. Uche Nnadi, issued a statement in which it praised Fubara’s position on the Local Government administration.
It was the instruction of the governor to the chairmen elected on its platform that they should formally give over to the HLGAs by Monday, March 3, 2025. APP endorsed this instruction.
The party made a commitment to win all 23 local government council chairperson elections in the state whenever the next election is held.