The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room has condemned the conduct of local government elections in Rivers State on August 30, 2025, describing the exercise as unconstitutional and a blatant violation of the 1999 Constitution.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, and signed by the Convener, Yunusa Z. Ya’u, and co-conveners, Franklin Oloniju and Mimidoo Achakpa, the coalition of over 70 civil society organisations said the polls, as well as the swearing-in of chairmen, breached constitutional provisions since a State of Emergency remains in place in the State following President Bola Tinubu’s declaration on March 18, 2025.
According to the group, Sections 5 and 305 of the Constitution make no provision for elections during a State of Emergency. It argued that if elections were imperative, the federal government ought to have lifted the emergency rule before scheduling them.
“The recently conducted local government elections in Rivers State is unconstitutional. If Local Government elections were truly imperative, would it not have been constitutionally proper to lift the State of Emergency before scheduling them?” the statement queried.
The coalition also faulted the credibility of the process, citing suspiciously inflated figures. For instance, Obio-Akpor Local Government reportedly recorded 328,823 votes, a figure close to the 369,949 total votes cast in the entire state during the 2023 presidential election. Online images, however, showed low turnout as residents stayed away from polling units.
Situation Room recalled its earlier rejection of the imposition of emergency rule, the removal of the governor and deputy governor, and the suspension of the State House of Assembly in March. It also condemned the April 8, 2025 announcement by the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Rtd.), of the release of withheld local government allocations, saying the actions reinforced executive overreach and weakened democratic institutions.
The coalition drew parallels with the 2013 State of Emergency declared by former President Goodluck Jonathan in Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa States, noting that then INEC Chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega, barred elections in affected states to avoid contravening the law.
Situation Room urged the Supreme Court to expedite its ruling on the suit filed by 11 governors challenging the Rivers State emergency declaration and to nullify all actions taken under the arrangement, including the August 30 LGA elections.
It further called on President Tinubu to uphold constitutional provisions and democratic values, while urging Rivers citizens, civil society, and the media to resist what it described as “an erosion of democratic governance and the rule of law.”
