RSIEC screens candidates for Rivers LG polls next week
CHIGOZIE AMADI
The Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, RSIEC has announced that it will commence the screening of candidates for the forthcoming October 5th Local Government Councils election in the state.
The Commission made the disclosure during an emergency meeting it held with all political party chairmen and secretaries in the state yesterday.
RSIEC in the memo raised as part of resolutions reached at the emergency meeting, assured members of the public that the October 5 date for the Local Government Councils elections remains sacrosanct.
The memo reads, “After an emergency meeting with all Chairmen and Secretaries of political parties in Rivers State by RSIEC, it was resolved as follows:
“The October 5th Local Government Council election still holds. The commission will commence screening of candidates by next week.”
The assurances from RSIEC came on the heels of growing concerns among the political class of a possible postponement of the elections.
Recall that the state All Progressives Congress, APC Caretaker Committee Chairman, Chief Tony Okocha had recently boasted that the elections would not hold on October 5, citing ongoing litigations facing the electoral body regarding the forthcoming elections.
Currently, the two major political parties in the state and country, PDP and APC appear not to be ready for the election following persistent internal wranglings the state chapters of the parties are faced with.
The outcome of the election will bring to an end the reign of the Caretaker Committee Chairmen appointed by the State Governor Siminalayi Fubara to run the affairs of the 23 Local Government Areas.
The appointment was done prior following the expiration of elected Council Chairmen in June 17, 2024.
