Mixed reactions have trailed the new date set by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission for the conduct of local government election in the state. While some political parties declared support for the August 30, 2025 date announced by the new RSIEC Chairman, Dr Michael Odey, some civil society organisations, the South-South Youths Initiative and the Civil Liberties Organisation, have rejected the new date, and called for the suspension of the exercise. The RSIEC chairman had on Monday shifted the LG election date from August 9 to August 30, 2025. His predecessor, Justice Adolphus Enebeli (retd.), had earlier fixed the poll for August 9 and promised a free, fair and credible election. Speaking in Port Harcourt, the Chief Tony Okocha-led All Progressives Congress in the state said it was ready and prepared for the election because things had been done properly. Okocha said he was duly invited by RSIEC to the stakeholders’ meeting where the new date for the election was agreed upon, unlike what happened under the previous RSIEC leadership. He said the party was prepared for the poll because, according to him, the right things had been done. “I just feel that Rivers people and Nigerians should see that things are properly done now. That is why you didn’t see anybody who will raise dust, no. Things are well done. “As chairman of a political party which you talked about, I was not invited to that stakeholders’ meeting (under Justice Enebeli). But now, you can see the number of political parties and array of people that attended the stakeholderss’ meeting,” Okocha stated. Also speaking, the State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Aaron Chukwuemeka, said his party was comfortable with the new date and ready to take part in the elections. Chukwuemeka stated, “Before now, we were prepared for the election and now that a new date has been given, and given the circumstances surrounding the shift we are all satisfied and you can see the responses from people.” “So we are prepared for the 30th August date as a party, the PDP in Rivers State is ready.” Similarly, the National Vice Chairman, South-South of the Labour Party, Favour Reuben, commended RSIEC for announcing the new date for the elections. Reuben noted that the circumstances surrounding the shift from August 9 to August 30 were understandable, saying the party would participate in the forthcoming elections. “This is just a continuation of the former timetable. You know we have already started the process before something happened. So I think it is just a continuation of that timetable which has been announced. “And they (RSIEC) said by law they can extend, which has just been extended from 9th to 30th. So we are fully in support, we are ready for the elections. “We knew that the elections would come up. Some of the political parties that are not prepared can complain but the Labour Party, we are well prepared and ready to participate in this election.” Also, the Chairman of the Youth Party in the state, Dr Ukachukwu Achira, said his party would participate in the election, but urged RSIEC to ensure a level playing field for all parties and candidates. He stated, “What the chairman (RSIEC) has done is in the right direction. So the Youth Party in Rivers State and our members, we are fully prepared for the forthcoming local government elections. “We are hoping that the election will be free and fair because of the wealth of experience of the recently appointed RSIEC Chairman.” Meanwhile, the National President of the South-South Youths Initiative, Oscar Imiabe, has called for the postponement of the council election, saying the exercise should be held only after the reinstatement of suspended Governor, Siminalayi Fubara. Imiabe queried why the suspended governor had not been reinstated despite the widely reported reconciliation between Fubara and his predecessor, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike. He said Fubara, as an elected governor, was the right person to conduct the election and not the State Administrator, Ibok-Ete Ibas, whom he claimed was imposed on the people of Rivers State. Imiabe stated, “I believe that President Bola Tinubu should have reinstated the suspended Governor to come and conduct the election if the President is concerned with the peace and wellbeing of Rivers State and its citizens. “What we are seeing right now is litigation after the conduct of this election because many political parties are ready to take RSIEC to court over the conduct of this election. “So, I think RSIEC needs to go back to the drawing board and do the right thing and if you ask me I will call for the postponement of this election until the suspended Governor is reinstated. “Anything otherwise would be an abuse of the state resources and it is unacceptable to the people of Rivers State.” He also faulted the one-month notice given for the election and warned that RSIEC would face litigation both before and after the polls. “What is the rationale for an undemocratic process conducting a democratic election? How do we have it? Now RSIEC announced the timetable for the local government election by July end and for the election to be held at August end. “We were told constitutionally that the local government elections take three months for campaigns. As we speak my grandmother in the village is not aware that local government elections will be held on August 30th because all the parties that are supposed to be registered for this election have not done any campaign,” he observed. This is as the Civil Liberties Organisation has called for the immediate suspension of the election, describing the newly constituted board of as unconstitutional. The organisation also rejected the timetable announced by the state electoral umpire for the LG poll, saying it fell short of the statutory provisions of the Electoral Act, which specifies a minimum of 90 days’ notice before an election. Spokesperson of the CLO in Rivers State, Emmanuel Obe, made the declaration in a statement issued in Port Harcourt and made available to Saturday PUNCH. Obe insisted that RSIEC under its former chairman, which previously fixed the exercise for August 9 was lawfully constituted before the suspension of Governor Fubara. He said the timetable announced by Dr Odey’s RSIEC was as unconstitutional as the commission itself and therefore lacked the legitimacy to conduct or reschedule elections, adding that the process amounted to misuse of public funds.

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Former Kogi senator, Dino Melaye, has expressed regret for previously backing the All Progressives Congress, describing his past support as a mistake. He also expressed confidence in the African Democratic Congress to present a strong contender capable of unseating President Bola Tinubu in 2027. Speaking on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme aired on Friday, Melaye acknowledged his past alignment with the ruling party but said he had since turned a new leaf. “Once I was blind, now I can see. I regret in totality. “Just like you confess your sins daily in the Lord’s prayer, I ask for forgiveness. “Anyone who has moved with the devil, anyone who has aligned with an unholy tendency, should regret it,” the former lawmaker said. Melaye slammed the APC administration for worsening socio-economic conditions, saying hunger and poverty have reached dangerous levels across Nigeria. “You don’t need a prophet to tell you what is happening in this country. It is visible even to the blind and audible to the deaf. “The hunger in the land is shattered. People are dying of malnutrition in rural communities. “Take a trip today to your village and just announce that you want to share two bags of rice. “If you are not careful, there will be dead casualties from the struggle to get something,” he said. Turning to 2027 politics, Melaye said the ADC was focused on building a stable party platform that would produce a credible presidential candidate to defeat Tinubu. “Especially those of us in the ADC, we need to create a comfortable, stable platform. “I believe that platform will produce a candidate that will unseat President Ahmed Bola Tinubu in 2027,” he said. When asked if he would support former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Melaye declined to endorse any aspirant, saying his focus was on strengthening the party first. “I will not be talking about a presidential candidate or preference for anybody until we get the party completely stabilised and organise a transparently honest convention,” he said. Although Atiku has not officially declared interest in the 2027 race, Melaye praised his ongoing political efforts. “What Atiku is doing is rescuing this country, bringing together men of honour and valour to correct and palliate the satanic manifestation of the APC,” Melaye added.