by Nurat Uthman
Protests erupted at the Peoples Democratic Party secretariat in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Thursday, as tensions rise ahead of the Local Government election scheduled for October 5, 2024.
The protesters, who arrived in large numbers at the party’s secretariat, forced security operatives to step in to control the crowd and manage traffic congestion in the area.
The unrest follows growing concerns over the delay in the release of the 2023 Voters’ Register by the Independent National Electoral Commission to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission.
The protesters were seen carrying placards and banners, chanting songs in protest and running along the highway.
One of the displayed banners reads “TAI people say no to lawlessness. Say no to LGA election. RSIEC must obey court judgment. SIM must obey court judgement”.
Taking off from the PDP secretariat along Aba Road Port Harcourt, they marched down to the DSS facility at Old GRA where they submitted a protest petition then they proceeded to the Government House.
They were accompanied by members of the Tony Okocha-led APC on the march.
Some stakeholders which include, former LGA chairmen, members of the House of Representatives, and former chief of staff Government House loyal to the FCT minister were in attendance.
Speaking at the DSS office, a PDP stakeholder in Rivers State, Aron Chukwuemeka said the major reason for the protest was to say no to the October 5 Local Government Elections.
Earlier, Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja, in a ruling delivered on September 30, 2024, barred INEC from releasing the voters’ register to RSIEC due to legal challenges.
Despite the court ruling, Governor Siminalayi Fubara maintained that the election would go on as planned.
Fubara expressed confidence that the Supreme Court’s earlier ruling, which mandated that all states in the federation must have democratically elected local government executives, supports his position.
