The Action People’s Party (APP) has won all 22 declared chairmanship positions in Saturday’s local government election in Rivers State.
Loyalists of the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara, had defected to the APP to run for the election following the takeover of the structure of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state by Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
The Chief Electoral Officer of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) Adolphus Enebeli who declared the results on Saturday in Port Harcourt, said results for Etche Local Government Area (LGA), the only outstanding one, was suspended because the collation was ongoing.
The RSIEC chairman also said that announcement for the 319 councillorship seats will be announced alongside that of the Etche Chairmanship position when collations are concluded.
He described the election as free, fair, and credible, despite all odds.
According to him, polls were closed at 3pm and recorded a large turnout of voters.
Enebeli saluted the patriotism of the residents who turned out to vote.
The declaration of the results was observed by members of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), chairmen of the state’s independent electoral bodies across the country, and members of the Nigerian Bar Association who acted as observers in the polls.
He said the commission “adopted the principle of bi-location because of the exigencies” they found themselves.
The results were announced at the Ministry of Justice Hall at the State Secretariat complex, rather than the Commission’s office on Aba Road