Members of the Rivers State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) staged a protest in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, marching to the Department of State Security (DSS) office and the Government House to express their opposition to the upcoming Local Government Area (LGA) elections.
Channels Television’s correspondent at the scene reported a large turnout of protesters, accompanied by a heavy security presence. The demonstrators initially gathered at the PDP secretariat, causing significant traffic delays as security personnel struggled to manage the growing crowd.
The protesters, carrying placards and banners, chanted slogans and marched through the streets, decrying lawlessness and calling for adherence to court rulings. One banner read, “TAI people say no to lawlessness. Say no to LGA election. RSIEC must obey court judgment. SIM must obey court judgment.”
Starting from the PDP secretariat on Aba Road, the protesters marched to the DSS office in Old GRA, where they submitted a protest petition, before continuing to the Rivers State Government House. Members of the Tony Okocha-led faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) joined the march, along with various stakeholders, including former LGA chairmen, House of Representatives members, and former Government House staff loyal to the FCT Minister.
Speaking at the DSS office, PDP stakeholder Aron Chukwuemeka said the protest aimed to voice opposition to the scheduled October 5 LGA elections, citing legal concerns.
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) confirmed that it had not yet released the 2023 Voter Register to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), a key requirement for conducting the elections. Resident Electoral Commissioner Johnson Alalibo, speaking at a press briefing, stated that RSIEC had applied for the register, but it had not been released due to administrative reasons. He also acknowledged receiving a court order from Abuja preventing INEC from releasing the voter register.
The protest highlights growing tensions in Rivers State as political parties and stakeholders await further developments regarding the local elections.
