Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has called on eligible voters in Ahoada East and Khana Local Government Areas to participate actively in Saturday’s bye-election for seats in the Rivers State House of Assembly.
Addressing residents at the Government House in Port Harcourt, the governor urged constituents in the affected areas to view the poll as important and to engage fully in the democratic process.
In a statement released on Friday by his Chief Press Secretary, Onwuka Nzeshi, the governor described the election as significant and encouraged voters to back candidates of the All Progressives Congress vying for the vacant positions.
He further appealed to the electorate to maintain peace and adhere strictly to electoral regulations to guarantee a credible and orderly exercise.
He said “Everybody should be law abiding and avoid doing anything that will disturb the peace during the exercise. It is actually a family election and there is no need for rancour and acrimony.”
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Rivers State, in collaboration with political parties, has conducted a joint inspection and handover of sensitive materials ahead of the bye-election.
The exercise took place on Friday at the Central Bank of Nigeria branch in Port Harcourt, with representatives of various political parties in attendance.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner in Rivers State, Gabriel Yomere, confirmed that the materials reviewed included ballot papers and statutory result sheets.
Yomere noted that the sensitive items comprised Form EC8A (polling unit results), Form EC8B (ward collation), Form EC8C (local government collation), and Form EC8E (declaration of results), along with duplicate copies, in line with established transparency procedures.
He emphasised that openness in handling the materials was essential to uphold the integrity of the election and avoid claims of manipulation.
The REC also highlighted the importance of smooth logistics, cautioning that any delay in deploying materials or acts of voter suppression could lead to tension.
“The sensitive materials we are going to inspect here are the ballot paper, form EC8A, form EC8B, form EC8C, form EC8E and a copy of these forms. These are the sensitive materials we are going to look into.
