Founder of Stanbic IBTC Bank, Atedo Peterside, alongside 21 other prominent political and civic leaders in Rivers State, has warned President Bola Tinubu against what they describe as an “existential assault on our democracy” over the planned conduct of local government elections under allegedly unconstitutional conditions.
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In a joint statement issued Friday, the stakeholders condemned the proposed August 30, 2025, local government elections in Rivers, which they said are being “orchestrated by a ‘Sole Administrator’ with no constitutional mandate and allegedly imposed by the Federal Government.”
The group argued that the current electoral body lacks legitimacy, noting that there is “no legally constituted Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC)” as required by Sections 2, 3, 5, and 12 of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission Law, 2018.
“Any electoral activities undertaken by such an illegitimate body are null and void,” the statement asserted.
Citing Section 7(1) of the 1999 Constitution, the stakeholders insisted that only an elected governor, with the confirmation of the State House of Assembly, can validly appoint RSIEC officials. “Any appointment process outside this constitutional procedure is invalid and unconstitutional,” they stated.
They also accused the current RSIEC leadership of failing to comply with the legal requirement of a 90-day notice period before elections, as provided under Section 20 of the RSIEC Law. With no formal notifications issued regarding candidate nominations or polling schedules, they said the process mirrors the 2024 local polls, which the Supreme Court annulled due to procedural irregularities.
“This is a deliberate attack on the principle of due process,” the statement added.
The group noted that multiple court cases challenging the legality of the sole administrator’s appointment and the operations of the current RSIEC are still pending before the Supreme Court and Federal High Court. Despite these unresolved legal disputes, they said the electoral process continues under the guise of an “emergency.”
They argued that Rivers is effectively in a “de facto state of emergency” following the federal suspension of both its executive and legislative branches. “If INEC considers it untenable to conduct by-elections under these conditions, how then can local government elections be justified?” they queried.
Emphasising that local government elections fall within the exclusive jurisdiction of the states, the group warned that “a federally appointed agent—lacking any legal foundation—cannot lawfully assume this responsibility.”
“This blatant usurpation of state autonomy desecrates our federal architecture and imperils democratic governance,” they declared. “Rivers State stands at a crossroads: surrender to impunity or uphold the Constitution and the will of the people. The choice is ours—and the stakes could not be higher.”
The statement was signed by 22 notable stakeholders, including Peterside, former Governor Celestine Omehia, former PDP National Chairman Uche Secondus, former Minister of Transport Abiye Sekibo, business leader Tonye Cole, and other political leaders across party lines.
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