•‘Planned Rivers LG polls failed integrity test’
Angry residents, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and groups have berated President Bola Tinubu over his actions in Rivers State’s political landscape, particularly empowering the Sole Administrator of the state, Vice Admiral Ibok Ete-Ibas, to conduct local council elections.

The residents and CSOs expressed displeasure, accusing the President of using the State of Emergency to capture Rivers State ahead of 2027.

Reacting to a modified document contained in a Federal Republic of Nigeria Official Gazette Number 125, Lagos, dated July 22, 2025, the residents described the President’s actions as unfortunate.

The gazette also suspended Section 2 Subsection 2 of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission Law Number 2 of 2018, which covers the appointment of the Chairman and members of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC).

Instead, the document granted the power to appoint and swear in the Chairman and members of the RSIEC to the Sole Administrator.

Many residents have argued that the Sole Administrator lacks the power to appoint the RSIEC board or conduct council elections.

Reacting, a rights advocate and Executive Director of Pilex Centre for Civic Education, Mr Courage Nsirimovu, said: “It is either the President is misguided by his advisers or simply puts his interest above the same Constitution he swore to defend and people he swore to ensure their welfare and security.”

MEANWHILE, the Chief Executive Officer of TAF Africa, Jake Epelle, has faulted the emergence of All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidates for the forthcoming Rivers State local council elections, describing it as a deliberate attempt to mislead the people of the state.

“This emergence is just orchestrated. They were submerged or hidden by them only to emerge right now. And the mixture of PDP and APC candidates is like a concoction that is going to be served to the innocent people of Rivers State,” Epelle stated yesterday.

He said there was nothing good about the electoral process, as those in charge “know what they are doing” and “are trying to embellish their acts to make themselves look like peaceful Jews.”

He also challenged past local government chairmen to make their records public. Epelle also expressed distrust in the legal and democratic processes surrounding the elections.