By Luminous Jannamike

ABUJA – The Centre for Truth and Justice (CTJ) has called for an urgent and thorough investigation into the Rivers State local government elections, citing widespread irregularities and a blatant disregard for democratic principles.

The elections, held last Saturday, were reportedly marred by violence, intimidation, and electoral malpractices.

Obinna Francis, CTJ’s Executive Director, addressed the press in Abuja, highlighting the organization’s concerns about the electoral process.

He emphasized that the elections were compromised by the authorities in Rivers State, which allegedly manipulated the process to consolidate power.

He noted that a Federal High Court judgment restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from releasing voters’ registers to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) was overridden by the state government.

The CTJ condemned the involvement of RSIEC in the process, questioning the electoral body’s impartiality and independence.

The organization also criticized Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s use of proxy parties to advance his political agenda, noting that the Action Peoples Party (APP), a relatively unknown entity, reportedly won 22 out of 23 chairmanship seats, raising concerns about the election’s legitimacy.

Francis said, “We condemn in totality the charade, mockery, and the total abuse of our democratic process by the purported conduct of Local Government (LG) elections in Rivers State. What transpired in Rivers State is a travesty of democracy, an affront to the will of the people, and a direct assault on the rule of law. The election that took place within the confines of the Government House is not only an illegal act but also a violation of every democratic principle that this nation stands for.

“Those responsible are ready to destroy whatever is left of our democracy if they are not urgently called to order. The abuse of power by their enablers must not go unchecked. The rule of law must be restored, and the democratic rights of the people of Rivers State must be protected.

“If left unchallenged, these actions will set a dangerous precedent for other state governors to follow, leading to the complete erosion of democratic governance in Nigeria.”

Earlier, the Rivers State government and RSIEC had defended the elections, claiming they were smooth, safe, free, fair, credible, transparent, and violence-free.