The Centre for Truth and Justice (CTJ) has denounced the recent local government elections in Rivers State as a violation of democratic principles. Despite a Federal High Court ruling against the election due to improper notification by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), the polls proceeded on October 5.
The court, led by Justice Peter Lifu, had barred the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from releasing the voter register and instructed security agencies to withhold support for the election. Despite these orders, the election went ahead, with the Action Peoples Party (APP) winning 22 out of 23 chairmanship seats.
CTJ Executive Director Obinna Francis condemned the election as lacking transparency and legitimacy, accusing Governor Fubara of undermining democracy by ignoring the court’s ruling. Francis called the election a “mockery” of democratic processes and warned that it sets a dangerous precedent for the future of the country’s democracy.
