By Omeiza Ajayi

ABUJA:  The Ijaw Youth Congress IYC has vowed to safeguard the October 5 local government elections in Rivers State, saying it will not allow any individual or groups of persons to disrupt the exercise.

President of the IYC, Dr. Theophilus Alaye stated this in a statement made available to Vanguard on Thursday.

He said it was appalling to note that courts of coordinate jurisdictions are giving conflicting judgments to stop the conduct of local government elections in the state, describing it as unfortunate.

He said the intention of Governor Siminalayi Fubara to conduct the local government election is to ensure that governance at the grassroots takes full swing in order to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people.

Alaye explained that periodic elections are tools and democratic processes in any liberal democracy to elect leaders from the federal to the state levels.

He noted that it was in compliance with this democratic tradition to allow the people elect those to govern at the grassroots that informed the decision of the Fubara administration to start the processes earlier this year that would eventually culminate in the conduct of local government election on Saturday. 

Alaye stressed that the importance of electing Chairmen and Councilors to man the councils cannot be overemphasized, adding that over 10 governors have conducted their state local government elections peacefully, and wondered why Rivers state should be different.

The youth body therefore urged the Police which is the lead agency in terms of internal security, to support the Rivers State government to conduct the Local government election.

The council also called on the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC and security agencies to collaborate with the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission RSIEC to conduct peaceful, transparent and credible elections without let or hindrance.

Alaye stated: “As Ijaw youths, we won’t allow any individual or groups of persons to disrupt the forthcoming local government elections. We, the Ijaw people, are laying the golden eggs to feed this country, and we won’t allow anyone to disrespect our humble and peaceful son, the Executive Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara.

“It is appalling to note that Courts of coordinate jurisdictions are giving conflicting judgements to stop the conduct of Local Government Election in Rivers State which IYC considered very unfortunate.

“We advise eminent judges to be impartial while adjudicating over sensitive issues of this magnitude and avoid playing into the hands of politicians to cause chaos and confusion as no court judgment has ever stopped national and state government elections from holding”, he added.