A new political structure may have emerged in Rivers State where the little-known Action Peoples Party (APP), which received the seemingly oppressed Governor Sim Fubara camp, swept the local council elections held Saturday, October 5, 2024.
The APP, which has already witnessed two gun attacks at its secretariat plus court cases against Sunny Nwokekoro, the chairman, captured 22 out of the 23 council results so far announced.
If the election stands, the APP with the indirect support of Gov Fubara would control the grassroots politics of the oil-rich state, which sees over N55 billion every month from internally generated revenue (IGR) and federal allocation (FAAC). Each local council in the state collects an average of N400m per month.
Read also: D-Day of Rivers crisis: Mixed bag marks LGA election
Announcing the results in Port Harcourt, Adolphus Enebeli, the chairman of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), a retired justice, said the APP won all the 22 LGA chairmanship positions out of the 23, saying the result of Etche Local Government Area and the 319 councillorship positions would be announced after the conclusion of collation.
According to him, the electoral process took place across the state’s 6,866 units and witnessed the participation of 18 political parties.
The chairman commended political parties and Rivers people for their commitment to the election, which he described as smooth, safe free, fair, credible, transparent and violence-free.
He gave the names of the new henchmen of Rivers grassroots politics as: Vincent Reuben Obu – Abua/Odual; Chibudom Ezu – Ahoada-East; Iyekor Ikporo – Ahoada-West; Tonye Oniyide – Akuku-Toru; Lazarus Gogote Nteogwuile – Andoni; Sule Amachree – Asari-Toru; Dame Anengi Barasua – Bonny; Harry Agiriye – Degema; Brain Gokpa – Eleme; and David Omereji – Emohua.
Others are: Monday Dumiye – Gokana; Isreal Abosi – Ikwerre; Martins Nwigbo – Khana; Chijioke Ihunwo – Obio/Akpor; Prince Isaac Umejuru – Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni; Ishmael Oforibika – Ogu/Bolo; Igwe Achese – Okrika; Promise Reginald – Omuma; Enyiada Cookey-Gam – Opobo/Nkoro; Gift Okere – Oyigbo; Ezebunwo Ichemati – Port Harcourt, and Matthew Nenubari Dike – Tai.
They are expected to be sworn in any moment from Monday, October 7, 2024, barring any fresh hitches.
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