Rivers State Local Government Election Was Transparent, Free, Fair, and Credible – Dr. Nwambu Gabriel Chibuzor
By Ujunwa Eunice Nwankwo
The Centre for Credible Leadership and Citizens Awareness has declared the recently conducted Rivers State Local Government Election as transparent, free, fair, and credible.
This was made known during a press conference held today in Abuja by the coalition of civil society organizations in Nigeria, chaired by Dr. Nwambu Gabriel Chibuzor, Ph.D.
The conference, themed “Report on the Rivers State Government Elections,” highlighted the unique and challenging context under which the August 30, 2025, elections were held. According to Dr. Nwambu, the fresh polls were conducted under extraordinary circumstances, including a declared state of emergency in the state. Despite this, the electoral process was carried out successfully across 4,442 polling units, 319 electoral wards, and 23 local government councils.
A total of 830 trained observers were deployed by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) to monitor the elections.
Dr. Nwambu reported that voting commenced early across most polling units, with presiding officers and ad-hoc staff arriving promptly.
He emphasized the absence of electoral malpractices, noting there were no incidents of thuggery, ballot snatching, or vote buying.
Furthermore, law enforcement agencies were commended for their professionalism and non-intrusive approach, ensuring the safety of voters and observers without interfering in the electoral process.
Dr. Nwambu pointed to the outcome of the election as further evidence of its credibility.
He revealed that the opposition party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), won 20 out of the 23 local government chairmanship seats, while the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) secured just 3 seats.
“This result is a resounding testament to the transparency and fairness of the process,” Dr. Nwambu stated.
He praised the people of Rivers State for their peaceful and law-abiding conduct during the election and commended the RSIEC for its exemplary handling of the process.
He further recommended that the approach adopted by the RSIEC should serve as a national model for credible electoral management in Nigeria.
In his concluding remarks, Dr. Nwambu reaffirmed the coalition’s position, declaring that the August 30th election in Rivers State was “transparent, free, fair, credible, and consistent with the extant laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
