Residents and political stakeholders in Rivers State have urged the National and State House of Assembly  to enact legislation prohibiting governors and local government chairmen from denying political parties access to publicly owned facilities for electioneering campaigns.

They argued that public facilities are funded with taxpayers’ money and should remain accessible to all political parties on equal terms during election campaigns, rather than being used as instruments to stifle opposition.

The call follows growing concerns over a directive issued by the Chairman of Ikwerre Local Government Area, Charles Wobodo, restricting all forms of public gatherings within the council area without prior approval, citing security concerns.

The directive has drawn criticism from opposition parties, particularly the African Democratic Congress (ADC), which described the action as an attempt to intimidate opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The party’s Rivers State Publicity Secretary, Chizy Enyi, acknowledged the security challenges confronting parts of Ikwerre Local Government Area but insisted that insecurity should not be used as a justification for undermining constitutional rights.

“While insecurity must be confronted decisively, it must never become a pretext for eroding constitutional democracy or suppressing the legitimate rights of law-abiding citizens,” Enyi said.

A lecturer in the Department of Marketing at the University of Port Harcourt, Dr. Lawrence Bekwele, said political parties should be allowed to use public facilities for campaigns, provided they sign undertakings to repair any damage that may occur during their events.

According to him, security agencies can also be deployed to safeguard the facilities and ensure peaceful conduct of political activities.

Also speaking, the National Coordinator of the Centre for Basic Rights Protection and Accountability Campaign, Prince Wiro, maintained that no governor has exclusive ownership of public assets.

“Public facilities belong to the people, not to any governor. They were built with public funds and should be available to all political parties on equal terms,” he said.

Wiro urged state Houses of Assembly, as well as the National Assembly, to enact laws preventing state governments from imposing exorbitant fees or arbitrary conditions on the use of public facilities for political campaigns.

He argued that demanding huge sums from opposition parties before granting access to public venues amounts to indirect suppression of political participation and violates the constitutional rights to freedom of association and political participation.

“The law should simply require political parties to sign undertakings to repair any damage caused during campaigns, rather than imposing prohibitive charges that discourage opposition activities,” he said.

He also called on security agencies to provide adequate protection during political campaigns to prevent violence and ensure that all parties can canvass for votes without intimidation.

On the quality of campaigns expected ahead of the 2027 elections, Bekwele advised political parties to focus on issues affecting Nigerians rather than engaging in inflammatory rhetoric.

He identified insecurity, hunger, unemployment and the declining economy as the critical issues requiring practical solutions from political actors.

“More than 33 million Nigerians face food insecurity. Political parties should tell Nigerians how they intend to improve food security, strengthen the economy and guarantee the protection of lives and property,” he said.

Bekwele added that while hate speech may not be completely eliminated from political campaigns, candidates should prioritise issue-based engagements capable of addressing the country’s socio-economic challenges.

Similarly, Wiro urged political leaders in Rivers State to conduct peaceful, violence-free campaigns centred on policies and programmes rather than personal attacks.

He said voters should assess candidates based on the quality of their manifestoes, commitment to democratic values and ability to deliver dividends of democracy.

“My advice to political actors is to play by the rules. Their campaigns should be issue-based and free from violence. Voters should support candidates who present practical solutions to the people’s challenges and demonstrate the capacity to govern responsibly,” he said.