Chaos erupted in Rivers State early Saturday as suspected arsonists detonated explosives at the state secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Port Harcourt. The attack occurred just as local government elections kicked off across the state.
The explosion, believed to have been caused by dynamites, shattered the gates and doors of the APC secretariat, leaving significant damage in its wake. Short video clips circulating on social media show the aftermath of the blast, with debris scattered around the heavily damaged building.
In a swift response, the caretaker committee chairman of the APC, Chief Tony Okocha, sent out a short message to journalists, accusing supporters of Governor Siminalayi Fubara of orchestrating the attack. Okocha alleged, “At the wee hours of Saturday, pro-Fubara civilian soldiers detonated dynamites at our office. The second attempt to set it ablaze was foiled as the security at the gate quickly put out the fire.”
Despite the explosion, election activities have pressed on in the state. Accreditation and voting commenced in multiple polling centers across Port Harcourt, with election materials arriving at Registration and Accreditation Centers (RACs) as early as 7:00 AM in some areas, including the Government Technical College in Ahoada East.
The atmosphere remains tense as Rivers residents cast their votes in 319 wards and 6,366 polling units across 23 local government areas. Over three million registered voters are expected to participate in the election, using the 2023 voter register provided by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and adopted by RSIEC for the elections.
Conspicuously, the Nigerian Police Force is absent from polling stations. Following a court order, the police had earlier announced they would not provide security for the election, a move that has generated widespread criticism. The decision has left a security vacuum, heightening fears of unrest as the election unfolds.
Eighteen of Nigeria’s 19 registered political parties are participating in the election, with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) conspicuously absent. This marks the first time since 1999 that the ruling party has not contested the elections, leaving room for opposition parties, including the APC, to make historic gains.
Governor Siminalayi Fubara, in a recent statement, expressed that he is the biggest loser in the election since his party, the PDP, is not participating. “Because of the Supreme Court ruling that requires elected officials to manage local government affairs, as governor, I have to comply with that,” Fubara said.
