LG Poll: Arewa youth group want Rivers allocation seized, used for ‘proper election’

Arewa Youth for Peaceful Coexistence (AYPC) has urged the Federal Government to seize the funds meant for Rivers State local governments and redirect them towards ensuring lawful elections with proper governance.

The group’s Abuja Chairman, Comrade Ogah Mark, who made this demand in a world press conference on Monday in Abuja noted that the elections were marked by gross irregularities and legal violations.

Mark recalled that the Federal High Court in Abuja, under the judicious eye of Hon. Justice Peter Lifu, has halted the release of the voters’ register by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to RSIEC, adding: “This ruling highlights the deliberate disregard for legal processes by Governor Sim Fubara and his administration, whose attempts to rush the inauguration of appointed chairmen cannot mask the fact that the law has already caught up with them. Their refusal to obey lawful court orders has rendered their actions null and void.

“The governor must recognise that he cannot deceive himself or the citizens of Rivers State. His actions have already invalidated any semblance of legitimacy in these elections.

“The Arewa Youth for Peaceful Coexistence stands firmly in support of a democratic process rooted in law and transparency. We urge all stakeholders to join us in
advocating for accountability and integrity in our electoral system.

“We convened today to express our resolute opposition to the recent local government elections orchestrated by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), scheduled for October 5th.

“No security personnel were present during the electoral process, raising concerns about safety and integrity. RSIEC proceeded without the INEC-certified voters’ register, which is a fundamental requirement.

“All sensitive and non-sensitive electoral materials were distributed directly from the Rivers State Government House, undermining transparency.

“The APP sponsored 23 local government chairmanship candidates and 319 councillorship candidates, while the
Labour Party (LP) and Young Progressives Party (YPP) fielded only about 30% of the required candidates for the elections.

“Limited Polling Units: Elections were conducted in only 2,405 out of
6,866 polling units, yet RSIEC declared winners in all wards and local government areas without credible justification.

“The Biometric Voter Authentication System (BVAS) was not utilised, further questioning the validity of the process.RSIEC recruited all ad hoc staff from a list provided by Governor Fubara, creating a conflict of interest.

“Voters did not use any voter cards, resulting in a disorganised and unmonitored voting process.
Low Voter Turnout: With an average turnout of merely 8 voters per polling unit, only 19,204 voters participated out of a total of 3,215,273 registered voters in Rivers State.

“There was no accreditation of voters or ward and local government area collations, nor was there any electronic transmission of results.”