Loyalists of Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara on Friday converged at the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) office in Port Harcourt, despite heavy rainfall.
The youths, armed with placards and banners, chanted “Election must hold!” and “We stand with Governor Fubara!” as they blocked one side of the road.
The protesters, comprising youths, women, and community leaders, demanded that the local government elections scheduled for Saturday must be held as planned. They vowed to defend the electoral process and prevent any attempts to disrupt the polls.
Prominent figures who demonstrated include Edison Ehie, Chief of Staff to the Governor, Victor Oko-Jumbo, Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly and Sokari Goodboy, Representative for Ahoada West.
The protesters also took to the streets of Port Harcourt, demonstrating in various areas.
Earlier that morning, security operatives thwarted an attempt by individuals dressed in police uniforms to take control of the RSIEC office. The intruders sought to breach the gates and access the commission’s strong room to secure control of sensitive electoral materials.
Governor Fubara visited the RSIEC office in the early hours of Friday, intervening to prevent the Rivers State Police Command from taking control of the premises.
It can be recalled that the police recently announced their withdrawal from overseeing the elections, citing a Federal High Court ruling. The force also vowed to prevent the election from going on as planned.
