Rivers LGA Election: A Concerned Observer’s Report

The air was tension soaked as voters trickled to their various units after the dramatic events that characterized the local government electoral process. Unsure of what would be the eventual outcome, voters dared the odds and went to their polling units to cast their votes.
As a concerned citizen of Nigeria and indigene of Rivers State, I took the obligation to observe the process especially in view of the legal shenanigans and efforts by the members of the major political parties to stop the process.
I arrived at Ward 1, Units 1 and 2, Oro-Abali at around 10:44 a.m. Voting had already begun, and the scene was a chaotic mix of haphazard readiness by RSIEC officials, and a pool of voters and party agents who demonstrated a resolve to exercise their electoral franchise.
However it was clear from my observation that the process was flawed as RSIEC officials, seemingly in cahoots with some party agents, brazenly directed voters to cast their ballots for specific candidates in complete violation of the Electoral Act.
The situation in Unit 3 was even more chaotic as RSIEC officials openly influenced voters in a seemingly pre-arranged scenario with party agents who were clearly aligned with those in power. It was a blatant disregard for the integrity of the election.
A chilling tale however unfolded as RISEC officials and party agents fled with the ballot boxes. A party agent from Ogbunuabli, recounted the scene of utter pandemonium. He alleged that they fled the unit due to the news of marauding “Wike’s guys” unleashing a barrage of gunfire, disrupting the electoral process and sending people scattering in all directions, in nearby polling units.
The chaos was palpable, a stark reminder of the dangers that characterized the pre-election window. The trail of the fleeing officials led me to a scene that was both shocking and deeply disturbing. There, amidst the chaos, I found the RSIEC officials and agents, caught red-handed, stamping on the ballot papers themselves.
The evidence was undeniable, a blatant act of manipulation that laid bare the true intentions of those who had sought to hijack the democratic process. The atmosphere was thick with tension, a palpable sense of injustice hanging in the air. The entire process was a sham, a grotesque parody of democracy. Law and order had been abandoned, trampled underfoot by the relentless pursuit of power.
After the ballot papers were stamped, the results showed Labour with 38 votes and APP with 54. This outcome, clearly not to the liking of those who had been rigged, sparked a violent confrontation. The Labour Party supporters, incensed by the outcome, threatened the RSIEC official, who fled for their life, leaving their slippers behind. It was a scene of pure desperation.
The ballot boxes were seized, and the stamping continued unabated. I encountered one of the RSIEC officials, a young woman, her face etched with a mixture of guilt and defiance. When I inquired about the results, she brusquely dismissed my question, claiming ignorance. Yet, her hands, stained with ink, betrayed her lies.
In Unit 11, RSIEC officials were simply absent. The only individuals present were party agents and community members who expressed a blend of apprehension and uncertainty. The election in the unit was later cancelled due to the non-availability of RSIEC officials.
The atmosphere was also buzzed with whispers of money being distributed, a chilling reminder of similar incidents that played out during the 2023 national elections. The 2024 Rivers State Local Government Election in the areas highlighted was a farce. The integrity of the process was desecrated with spectacles of manipulation and violence.
Treasure Chisa Achor is a Development Communication Student at Rivers State University and an intern at National Point.