Curfew in Rivers State: Movement go dey restricted today as LG elections go take place

Local goment elections go hold for Rivers State, south-south Nigeria on Saturday 17 April 2021.

For State Broadcast, Governor Nyesom Wike say di local goment election wey go elect local goment chairmen and councillors for di local goment legislative assembly go shele for all di 4442 polling units and 319 wards for di 23 local goment areas.

Di Governor also ban all human and vehicle movement from midnight Friday 16 April to wen election go end by 5pm on Saturday 17 April, 2021 except for pipo and motors wey dey on essential duties wit genuine and valid identification.

E follow direct security personnel to arrest and prosecute any pesin wey violate dis order.

As e be so 17 political parties dey participate for di election but di major opposition, di All Progressives Congress (APC) no dey participate for di elections.

Di Caretaker Chairman of di APC, Isaac Ogbogbula write letter to di Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission RSIEC to inform dem say di partyno go show for di election.

Ogbogbula say APC no go participate because di electoral process dey faulty and members of di Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission RSIEC na card carrying members of PDP.

"Di electoral process dey already faulty wit di constitution of di membership of di commission, so dem no go fit conduct a free and fair local goment council election.

"We decide say as a party, we no go contest to give credit to illegitimate process, and we get di backing of di national secretariat of our party", na so e tok

Chairman of RSIEC, Justice George Omereji say even though APC no go participate for di election, dia Party logo fit dey on di ballot paper because dem don already print am before di letter come.

Opposition Political Parties Protest delay in payment of election grant

Some opposition parties wey dey participate for di election do protest waka and accuse di Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) say dem dey deny dem funds wey dem need to prepare adequately for di election.

Di opposition parties vex say RSIEC delay to give dem grants for di election and say dis one show say dem dey biased.

But di RSIEC Chairman Justice George Omereji (Rtd) react to di claims by opposition parties say no provision for grants dey for any political party wey dey participate for di election.

Police deploy 17,500 officers for di LG Polls

Rivers State Police Command say dem don deploy 17,500 personnel in addition to deployments from oda sister security agencies, wey go provide safety, security and maintain law and order before, during and afta di elections.

For statement wey di Police tok tok pesin Nnamdi Omoni sign say very important personalities (VIPs) or Politicians no go dey allowed to go any voting centre with dia security details.

Movement go only dey allowed from dia house to di voting centres and back as e dey for di Electoral Act.

E add say all entry and exit points to di State go dey completely blocked until di election finish and no commercial activities go dey allowed close to di polling units.

Di statement add say restriction of movement go dey for di land and waterways as dem no go allow any motor or boat to wakabout during di time for di election.

E come appeal pipo to participate and cooperate wit dem for a peaceful, free, fair and credible local goment elections.