An alleged attempt to remove voting materials from the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) headquarters was reportedly foiled in the early hours of Friday, according to a statement from the office of Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
The governor’s spokesperson, Nelson Chukwudi, alleges that security operatives led by a senior police officer attempted to “cart away voting materials” from the RSIEC headquarters around 1 a.m. on Friday. The materials were intended for use in Saturday’s local elections in the state.
“The evil plots of the rogue policemen and DC Ops were botched when vigilant security officials alerted principal officers of the commission and relevant government authorities, who immediately informed the governor of the development,” Chukwudi stated in a press statement.
According to the statement, the security operatives allegedly scaled the gates of the RSIEC headquarters and made their way to the commission’s strong room in an attempt to remove sensitive election materials.
Upon being alerted to the situation, Governor Fubara reportedly led a team of government officials, including lawmakers from the National Assembly and State House of Assembly, as well as other political stakeholders, to the RSIEC facility.
After securing the commission’s office, the governor left his chief of staff, the speaker of the Rivers House of Assembly, and several state and National Assembly members to maintain security at the facility.
This incident occurs against a backdrop of rising political tension in Rivers State. The upcoming local elections have faced opposition from former governor Nyesom Wike and his supporters, who fear the polls could shift the state’s political balance in favour of Governor Fubara.
With the elections scheduled for Saturday, all eyes will be on Rivers State to see how this situation develops and whether it will impact the conduct of the polls.
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