Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has disclosed that suspended Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara is expected to return to office on September 18. Wike made this revelation shortly after participating in the local government elections conducted by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) on Saturday.
The elections, held across 319 wards and 23 local government areas, were marked by low voter turnout, delayed arrival of materials, and reports of missing original result sheets in several locations, including Obio/Akpor and Port Harcourt. Urban areas saw significant voter apathy, while some rural communities recorded relatively higher participation.
Wike highlighted that the exercise laid the foundation for lifting the earlier state of emergency imposed in Rivers State. “The local government now has representatives, the state government has its elected officials, so we are good to go,” he said, affirming the peaceful conduct of the polls despite logistical hiccups.
Several political actors, including PDP candidates like Dr. Gift Worlu and Minority Leader Kingsley Chinda, praised RSIEC for organising credible elections devoid of violence or voter intimidation. However, concerns linger over the absence of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and missing election materials.
