CSOs Warn Against Illegitimate Election In Rivers
A coalition of civil society organizations in Rivers State held a peaceful protest on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, to express their dissatisfaction with the continued entrenchment of anti-democratic processes in the state.
The protesters, who marched from Wogu Street in Dline Port Harcourt to the Government House, urged the reinstatement of both executive and legislative arms of government.
Courage Nsirimovu, representing the coalition, which includes Pilex Centre For Civic Education Initiative, The Peoples Advocates, Kebetkache Women Development & Resource Centre, WRAPA, and CONCERNED CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS, presented a protest letter to security officials at the Government House.
The group emphasized that the people of Rivers State and Nigeria will boycott any attempt by any authority to conduct local government elections illegally, citing relevant sections of the Nigerian Constitution that vest the power to appoint RSIEC board/Chairman and conduct local government elections in an elected Governor.
The protesters drew parallels between the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election and the current situation in Rivers State, where democracy was suspended by President Bola Tinubu.
They argued that the President acted beyond his constitutional powers, citing the Supreme Court’s ruling in A.G Federation v A.G Lagos State, which stated that the President does not have the power to remove an elected Governor.
The maintained that unlike Benue State and Plateau State, Rivers State had not degenerated to a breakdown of law and order or war to necessitate the declaration of a State of Emergency.
However, they called on President Restore democratic government in Rivers State by recalling Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the Rivers State House of Assembly; Amend the Electoral Act 2022 to make electronic transmission of results from polling units mandatory, declare votes invalid in cases of ballot box snatching or violence, and substitute “non-substantial compliance” with “non-compliance”; Allow INEC to conduct free and fair elections without executive interference.
Also, they urged that President to allow the EFCC to freely carry out its functions without executive interference.
The coalition also appealed to President Tinubu to treat Governor Fubara with the dignity that the office deserves, recalling his days as a civil rights activist and Governor when he resisted President Olusegun Obasanjo’s high-handedness.
This development comes as no surprise, given the recent petition filed by a civil society organization, Initiative for Freedom, Conflict Preservation and Social Integration, challenging the legality of President Tinubu’s actions regarding the governance of Rivers State.
CSOs Warn Against Illegitimate Election In Rivers is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
