Speaker 2: Nigeria.
Speaker 1: President Barla Amed Sinobo has ordered the Inspector General of
Speaker 1: Police IMJP Coyote Agmtokun to return peace law and order
Speaker 1: to reverse stath following violence that erupted across the states
Speaker 1: on Monday morning. After the winners of the local government
Speaker 1: area chairpersons and councilor's polls were declared on Sunday, President
Speaker 1: Syllable in the state lands signed and men available by
Speaker 1: the Presidential Advisor on Information and Strategy, Bayo on Ongar,
Speaker 1: said the police should secure the local government area secretariats,
Speaker 1: while urging the state Governor Ubara similarly and other parties
Speaker 1: involved in the elections to secredress in court and avoid
Speaker 1: self help. The elections results showed that the Action People's
Speaker 1: Party at win most of the positions in the local
Speaker 1: government elections, as the party secured three hundred and fourteen
Speaker 1: out of three hundred and nineteen councilorship seats across the
Speaker 1: state's twenty three local government areas. The chairman of the
Speaker 1: Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission RSIEC, Justice Adolphos and Ebi,
Speaker 1: announced the results in Port Harcourt on Sunday. Stanton the
Speaker 1: APP also won twenty two out of the twenty three
Speaker 1: local government area chairmanship seats. According to the RSIEC, they
Speaker 1: up won three hundred and fourteen words, while they all
Speaker 1: Progressive Congress, Labor Party, Social Democratic Party and Young People's
Speaker 1: Party each clinched one seat. Channa's Television on Monday reported
Speaker 1: that the Rivers State local government elections may have concluded successfully,
Speaker 1: but tension remains between factions loyal to governors, similarly for
Speaker 1: Bara and those aligned with the FCTY minister in Ysom
Speaker 1: Weeki Governor for Bara had on Sunday raised concerns about
Speaker 1: an alleged plan to obstruct the newly elected chairman as
Speaker 1: the resume office on Monday, those concerns s flared out
Speaker 1: in some countcil rules in a Holder East local government area.
Speaker 1: The newiest one in Chairman Chibudong Hezekiah, along with counselors
Speaker 1: and a large crowd of supporters, encountered resistance at the
Speaker 1: council gate, where a small group attempted to prevent them
Speaker 1: from gaining access.
Speaker 2: However, with the intervention of.
Speaker 1: Security operatives and the insistence of the crowd, the situation
Speaker 1: was brought under control, allowing the chairman and his team
Speaker 1: to enter the council amidst jubilation. The new councilors proceeded
Speaker 1: with their swearing in ceremony. Afterward, they moved directly to
Speaker 1: their chambers to hold their first City Chairman Hezekiah alleged
Speaker 1: that the brief destruction at the gate was orchestrated by
Speaker 1: the former chairman, Benjamin Ak, who is loyal to WIKI.
Speaker 1: He emphasized that the will of the people is greater.
Speaker 1: Channel's Television reached out to Ak via telephone and he
Speaker 1: confirmed that he was responsible for the resistance. However, he
Speaker 1: explained that his actions were in protest of the elections,
Speaker 1: which he believed should not have taken place due to
Speaker 1: a court order from Abuja. Earlier on Monday, police authorities
Speaker 1: announced the reopening of the twenty three local government council
Speaker 1: secretariats following the successful conduct of the elections. They have
Speaker 1: also withdrawn their officers who were previously blocking access to
Speaker 1: the councils with ongo intentions. One can only hope for
Speaker 1: peace to prevail to enable the required development at the grassroots.
Speaker 2: Level of Rivers State.
Speaker 1: However, President Bollatinbo has called on governors similarity Fubara political
Speaker 1: leaders and their supporters in rivers tend to exercise.
Speaker 2: Restraint and uphold the rule of law.
Speaker 1: In response to recent tensions following last Saturday's local government
Speaker 1: council election, the President expressed in concern over reports of assens.
Speaker 2: And explosions in the state.
Speaker 1: He urged all political actors today escalect the situation and
Speaker 1: discouraged their supporters from engaging in violence or destructive actions.
Speaker 1: President Syllable directed the police to restore and maintain peace,
Speaker 1: law and order immediately, while instructing law enforcement agencies to
Speaker 1: bring the situation under control. He emphasized the need to
Speaker 1: ensure the security of public institutions. President Syllable said government
Speaker 1: facilities built with public funds must be selfcarded from vandalism.
Speaker 1: He stressed that self help has no place in a
Speaker 1: democratic system, especially after twenty five years of continuous democracy.
Speaker 1: According to President Syllable, the judiciary can settle all political
Speaker 1: disputes and the outcome of this election should be no exception,
Speaker 1: bio or nogustated. In the press statement, Former Nigeria President
Speaker 1: good Luck Abla Jonata held on Saturday during the election,
Speaker 1: cautioned against escalation of violence. He has said, I am
Speaker 1: aware that the local government election taking place in Rivers
Speaker 1: State today October fifth, has been a subject of great
Speaker 1: interest to political actors. The political happenings in Rivers State
Speaker 1: in the past days is a cause for serious concern
Speaker 1: for everyone, especially lovers of democracy and all actors within
Speaker 1: the peace and security sector of our nation. Elections are
Speaker 1: the corner stone of democracy because they are the primary
Speaker 1: source of legitimacy. This process renews the firths of citizens
Speaker 1: in their country as it affords them the opportunity to
Speaker 1: have a say on who governs them.
Speaker 2: Every election is.
Speaker 1: Significant, whether at national or sub national levels, as it
Speaker 1: counts as again and or not to democracy. It is
Speaker 1: the responsibility of all stakeholders, especially state institutions, to work
Speaker 1: towards the promotion of sound democratic culture, of which periodic
Speaker 1: elections stands as a noble virtue. Democracy is a collective asset.
Speaker 1: Its growth and progress is dependent on government's commitment to
Speaker 1: uphold the role of law and pursue the interests of
Speaker 1: peace and justice at all times. Institutions of the state,
Speaker 1: especially security agencies, must refrain from actions that could lead
Speaker 1: to breakdown of law and order. River State represents the
Speaker 1: gateway to the Niger delta and the third to peace
Speaker 1: in the state could have huge security implications in the region.
Speaker 1: Let me sound a note of caution to all political
Speaker 1: actors in this crisis to be circumspect and patriotic in
Speaker 1: the pursuit of their political ambition and relevance. I am
Speaker 1: calling on the National Judicial Commission and JESSE to take
Speaker 1: action that will call the proliferation of court orders and judgments,
Speaker 1: especially in those of concurrent jurisdiction giving conflicting orders. This,
Speaker 1: if not checked, will radicle the institution of the judiciary
Speaker 1: and derail our democracy. The political situation in Rivers State
Speaker 1: mirrors are pasted the crisis of the Old Western Region.
Speaker 1: I therefore one that Rivers should not be used as
Speaker 1: crystal that will form the blog that will collapse our democracy.
Speaker 1: State institutions, especially the police and the judiciary and all
Speaker 1: other stakeholders must always work for public interests and promote
Speaker 1: common goods such as peace, justice and equality. While the
Speaker 1: elections were ongoing on Saturday, there was heaving gone fire
Speaker 1: at Romupirical community in Rivers State, the country home of
Speaker 1: former governor and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory in Ysomwiki,
Speaker 1: a source in the area. According to Sahara reporters said
Speaker 1: some people had come into the community and announced that
Speaker 1: no one should come out for the local government polls.
Speaker 1: It was gathered that when the electoral officers were about
Speaker 1: to arrive at the World in the Obio, a poor
Speaker 1: local government area, the government arrived in the area as well.
Speaker 1: The unidentified gunmen who arrived in the area with heavy
Speaker 1: gun fire scared of people from coming out to participate
Speaker 1: in the election. It was also gathered that one person
Speaker 1: sustained a bullet injury and had been rushed to a
Speaker 1: health facility for treatment. The state electoral body suspended the
Speaker 1: declaration of results for h Local Government Area LGA because
Speaker 1: the collation was said to be ongoing on Sunday. The
Speaker 1: RSIEC chairman, according to Channel's Television, has sent that announcement
Speaker 1: for the three hundred and nineteen councilorship seats will be
Speaker 1: announced alongside that of the eight chairmanship position when collations
Speaker 1: are concluded. He described the election as free, fair and
Speaker 1: credible despite all odds. According to him, polls were closed
Speaker 1: at three pm and recorded a large turnout of voters.
Speaker 1: Enebly saluted the patriotism of the residents who turned out
Speaker 1: to vote. The declaration of the results was observed by
Speaker 1: members of the Inter Party Advisory Council IPAC, chairman of
Speaker 1: the state's independent electoral bodies across the country, and members
Speaker 1: of the Nigerian Bar Association who acted as observers in
Speaker 1: the polls. He said the Commission adopted the principle of
Speaker 1: by location because of the exigencies the found themselves. The
Speaker 1: results were announced at the Ministry of Justice Hall at
Speaker 1: the State Secretariat Complex rather than the Commission's office on
Speaker 1: Aba Road. On election day, two explosions rocked the state.
Speaker 1: Police authorities confirmed that one of the incidents happened earlier
Speaker 1: on Saturday. The first explosion was reported at the ap
Speaker 1: Secretariat on Aba Road at approximately three am. A security
Speaker 1: guard reported hearing a loud bang and upon investigation of
Speaker 1: self three block Toyota helocks vans speeding away from the scene.
Speaker 1: The spokespassing of the rivers, tenth Police Command breast Range
Speaker 1: Coco said, adding that the incidents are being investigated. The
Speaker 1: explosion caused significant damage, destroying the gate and shattering the
Speaker 1: windows of the building. Additionally, the security building was set ablaze.
Speaker 1: The second explosion occurred at the obio A Poor Council Secretariat.
Speaker 2: Around three thirty am.
Speaker 1: Eyewitnesses reported seeing a black Toyota he locks van and
Speaker 1: a white Toyota Sena minivuan drive past the secretariat. Gunshots
Speaker 1: were equally reported in some parts of Pottercourt, the state capital.
Speaker 1: Some on identified passes who rode in the block Toyota
Speaker 1: Corolla where spotted firing gunshots around the Wimpi area of
Speaker 1: the States, which is a stone thrown from the home
Speaker 1: of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory f CIT
Speaker 1: in Ysomwiki. Some members of the People's Democratic Party PDP
Speaker 1: had earlier in the week protestant against the conduct of
Speaker 1: the election and had stormed the Department of State Security
Speaker 1: office and the government's house, both in Port Harcourt, to
Speaker 1: register their demand. Saturna's declaration of results brings to an
Speaker 1: end upon centon run to the local government election in
Speaker 1: the oil rich States. The election followed the federal government
Speaker 1: three month grades for states to conduct local government polls.
Speaker 1: Ahead of the exercise, police authorities had said they will
Speaker 1: not provide security for the election, citing a court order.
Speaker 1: The Independent National Electoral Commission INEC was also bound by
Speaker 1: a court order from presenting the voter register to RSIEC
Speaker 1: that both created repoles in the state, leading to a
Speaker 1: heightened atmosphere. Days before the election, only third Governor seminarly
Speaker 1: for bara val that the pole would hold and storm
Speaker 1: the rsie C office around one am on Friday, allegend
Speaker 1: that police operatives in the state want to flood the exercise.
Speaker 1: We are prepared, We are prepared, the governor said, as
Speaker 1: he called on the Inspector General of Police IGP Kyade
Speaker 1: egg Metokul to take responsibility for any disruptions, but the
Speaker 1: police said their officers were at the RSIEC office to
Speaker 1: secure the facility. Conversely, in reaction to credible and actionable
Speaker 1: intelligence received about plans by Hudlos to carry out an
Speaker 1: ascent attack on the rsi e C office, police personnel
Speaker 1: were deployed to secure the premises. The River's stenth Police
Speaker 1: Command said. The River's stenth Police Command remain committed to
Speaker 1: our duty to maintain the peace and ask residents of
Speaker 1: Rivers tend to act within the confines of the law.
Speaker 1: The police will do everything to maintain law and order.
Speaker 1: Some of the top parties in the States, including Fubarous
Speaker 1: People's Democratic Party PDP and the All Progressives Congress APC
Speaker 1: did not participate in the election. You know this election,
Speaker 1: I am the greatest loser because my party is not participating.
Speaker 1: It is the truth, the governor said on the ig
Speaker 1: of the election. The PDP at the national level, however,
Speaker 1: called on residents of the States to come out for
Speaker 1: the poll and exercise their franchise. Channel's television reported Saslady
Speaker 1: Green Day, you need in a more digital way,