Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has sworn in 23 newly elected local government chairmen at a ceremony held on Sunday at the Executive Council Chambers of the Government House in Port Harcourt. The swearing-in followed the local government elections conducted by the Rivers State Independent National Electoral Commission (RSIEC) a day earlier.
The event was attended by Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, who also serves as the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum. Governor Fubara expressed satisfaction with the successful conduct of the elections, attributing the outcome to divine support and thanking President Bola Tinubu for upholding democratic principles.
Fubara reaffirmed his commitment to the PDP, though he emphasized that the challenging circumstances in the state called for decisive actions. He stated that his administration, backed by the people, had acted to safeguard local government councils from disruption and disorder.
He urged the newly sworn-in chairmen to focus on development and to serve the people, emphasizing that they should act as servants rather than rulers. “The local government areas need development, and you must work for the people, who are the real political structure,” Fubara advised.
Earlier in the day, RSIEC issued certificates of return to the chairmen, with the Action People’s Party (APP) securing 22 out of the 23 chairmanship positions. The announcement of the result for Etche Local Government Area was initially delayed due to ongoing collation, but a day later, Uzodinma Nwafor of the Action Alliance (AA) was declared the winner in Etche.
RSIEC Chairman Adolphus Enebeli described the election as free, fair, and credible, noting a large voter turnout despite tensions. He praised the patriotism of residents who participated in the polls and acknowledged the role of observers from the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), state electoral bodies, and the Nigerian Bar Association.
