Eligible voters in Rivers State on Saturday cast their ballots in the local government elections conducted by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) across 23 councils.
The exercise, which was held in 6,866 polling units in the 319 wards of the state, is expected to produce elected local government chairpersons and councilors and replace the council administrators appointed in April 2025.
The elections came six months and two days after the Supreme Court upturned the council elections conducted on October 5, 2024, by the RSIEC.
Speaking during a pre-election broadcast on Friday, the Chairman of the RSIEC, Michael Odey, assured the voters of the prompt arrival of voting materials to the various polling units, including the rural and riverine communities.
Meanwhile, the Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral (retd.) Ibok-Ete Ibas, commended the peaceful and orderly conduct of the elections, describing it as a decisive step toward restoring full democratic governance at the grassroots.
Vice Admiral Ibas, who monitored the exercise in several local government areas, expressed satisfaction with the comportment of voters and election officials, noting that their conduct created a calm and secure environment for the polls.
Speaking with reporters in Port Harcourt, the administrator highlighted the voter turnout and the serenity at polling units as proof of the Rivers people’s eagerness to reclaim and participate in grassroots governance.
Ibas disclosed that situation reports from across the 23 local government areas aligned with his observations, pointing to a largely incident-free exercise.
“Generally, the situation has been calm and seamless across the state. We have not received any major negative reports, which is a testament to the collective desire for peace and normalcy,” he added.
