The Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) has fixed Saturday August 30, 2025 for what it termed the postponed Local Government elections in the state.
It would be recalled that the defunct Justice Adolphus Enebeli led RSIEC had earlier fixed the elections for Saturday August 9 this year before the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara and other democratic structures in the state.
Chairman of the Commission, Mr Michael Odey made the announcement on Monday July 28, 2025 at the Commission’s headquarters in Port Harcourt while unveiling the election timetable in a meeting with stakeholders.
Addressing the stakeholders, he said, “Taking proper cognisance of Section 13 of the RSIEC law which provides that when the commission appoints a date to hold an election and there’s a reason to believe that a serious breach of peace is likely to occur or that it’s impossible to conduct the election as a result of natural disaster or any other emergency, the commission may postpone the election, provided that the reason for the postponement is cogent and verifiable.
“Therefore, by the powers vested upon the commission by this provision, I hereby announce the postponement of the council elections earlier fixed to hold on Saturday 9 August, 2025. The Commission hereby makes the following rules and regulations: There shall be local government elections on Saturday the 30th of August, 2025.”
Giving assurances that the commission under his leadership would conduct a transparent, free and fair election in the state, he added, “We’re not going to arrogate to ourselves the status of a behemoth, the status of omniscient all knowing institution, the powerful knowledge of everything. Election management is a multi sectoral endeavour. And so, we’re going to make sure that we consult, we collaborate and we synergise with critical stakeholders.”
However, Rivers people have received the news with mixed feelings, fueling allegations that the emergency rule declared in the state has sinister motives.
Latching on the section of the law quoted by the chairman, they wondered if the reasons that brought about the emergency rule have been mitigated. “You can’t place something on nothing. An illegal Sole Administrator can’t conduct an election,” observed Saviour Oscar, state chairman of Almagamated Youth.
While Chief Tony Okocha, State APC Caretaker Committee Chairman commended the RSIEC chairman and promised the participation of his party, the state IPAC chairman told newsmen that his members would study the timetable before reactions.
The election timetable released by the Commission indicates that party primaries hold Saturday August 2, 2025 while electoral campaigns begin from August 11 and ends on the midnight of August 28, 2025.
