Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has issued a bold challenge to the Inspector General of Police (IGP), demanding that if necessary, he should "order my shooting" to ensure the smooth conduct of the upcoming local government elections. This shocking declaration follows a tense encounter between the governor and police officers attempting to seal the premises of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) early Friday morning.
The backdrop of this confrontation is a recent decision by the police to withdraw their personnel from the election, scheduled for October 5, 2024, citing a Federal High Court ruling. This move has sparked outrage among state officials, with Governor Fubara expressing deep disappointment and accusing the IGP of excessive partisanship in favor of the FCT Minister.
In a viral video sighted by our correspondent, Fubara asserted, "The RSIEC office is my property. The election would hold and and there's nothing anyone can do about it," emphasizing the importance of local governance and the integrity of the electoral process. Earlier reports indicated that Fubara, along with key state officials including the Secretary to the State Government, the Chief of Staff, and members of the National Assembly gathered at the RSIEC to safeguard the election against what they perceived as police overreach.
Fubara did not hold back in his criticism of IGP Egbetokun, alleging that the police chief had attempted to facilitate a plot to compromise the election materials. He led a delegation to the RSIEC in Port Harcourt to confront the police and prevent any disruption to the electoral process. "The IGP is overstepping his bounds," Fubara said, pointing out that local government elections are a state matter and should not be influenced by federal authorities.
In a passionate address outside the RSIEC, Fubara denounced the police's withdrawal and their plan to replace local security with officers from a neighboring state. "Keep your security, I do not need it," he declared. Drawing parallels to past elections in Anambra State, he vowed that the election would proceed as scheduled, promising that results would be announced and winners sworn in. "This election must hold on Saturday. Enough is enough," he emphasized, rallying support for what he believes is a crucial democratic exercise.
