The political faceoff between Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara, and his immediate predecessor and minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FTC), Nyesom Wike, was taken to a frightening level during the recently concluded local government election in Rivers State. KINGSLEY ALUMONA and YUSUF ABDULKADIR sampled the opinions of some Nigerians on the conduct and outcome of the election. Their views:
Hashim Yussuf
Wike paid less attention to the sermon of Charles Kettering: “Every father should remember that one day his son will follow his example, not his advice.” What Fubara (Wike’s godson and former chief accountant) did by sacking all the local government chairmen appointed by Wike and replacing them with his loyalists, was the same thing Wike did to the local government chairmen appointed by Rotimi Amaechi. However, in the process of settling political or individual scores, the people’s will should not be jeopardised. Fubara and the newly-elected local government chairmen should remember that power is transient and do their best to serve the people of Rivers State.
Marvelous Adedayo
The first shocker came when the election remained peaceful, despite police withdrawal during the process. I had expected widespread unrest and disorder, but the opposite occurred. Still, I caution the people of Rivers State not to assume that the police are unnecessary. The state will always need the Nigerian police. Unfortunately, some people retaliated by vandalising secretariats. It is incomprehensible to destroy the few structures we have left. I call on the police to arrest those vandals and bring them to justice. If anyone is unhappy with the election’s outcome, they should take their grievances to court.
Abdulsalam Adio
The recent Rivers State local government election was nothing short of a theatrical display in a political cinema. The interests of the masses seemed overshadowed by the rivalry between former Governor Wike and Governor Fabura. The prevailing situation makes it look like the new local government chairmen will likely stick to the same script of self-interest, political maneuvering, and service to Governor Fubara, and not to the masses. However, we hope the leadership of these newly-elected chairmen will bring prosperity to their various councils.
Christian Adeyemi
The Rivers State governor has taken a bold step by conducting the local government election in a free-and-fair manner. Wike should leave Governor Fubara alone and allow him to rule the state in peace. Wike has finished his tenure well and should stay away from River State politics and allow peace to reign. The newly-elected chairmen and councillors should deliver the dividends of democracy to the people of the state.
Jacob Temidayo
The recent Rivers State local government election reflected the state of our national democracy. Although the election was reportedly free and fair, the political rift between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Wike, revealed flaws in our democratic system. Their conflict’s impact on voters highlighted the need for stability and transparency in politics. The Action Peoples Party (APP) winning the majority of the election suggested that people want change and accountability from their leaders. The election shows how fair and transparent polls can strengthen democracy and build public trust in government. Hopefully, we can learn from this and revive our struggling democracy.
AbdulAzeez AbdulMaleek
Elections, as a cornerstone of a robust democratic system, require sanity and purpose. Sadly, the recently-concluded Rivers State local government polls seemed not to have reflected the people’s true preferences, due to dominant party interests, influence, and the tussle between the current and immediate past governors of the state. The Rivers State local government election may be over, but respecting the people’s will and ensuring continuity of good governance remains essential. We cannot afford to applaud disorderliness and clip the straws of the Rivers people for any interest.
Maisuna Hassan
The outcome of the local government election in River State is a game of the Titans, where there are two political gamers. The former governor is believed to be the political godfather in the state, and there is disagreement between him and the current governor of the state. Governor Fubara believed Wike had federal might, and at the same time played anti-party games by hijacking the PDP party structure. Fubara, on the other hand, had the support of the people and aligned with APP for the election. This has led to political unrest, with political thugs chasing the elected chairmen out of their offices. In a nutshell, both parties involved in the conflict should embrace dialogue to curb further conflict.
James Bamgbose
The Rivers State local government election has shown that conducting a free-and-fair election without violence is possible in Nigeria, even without the participation of the police. This has only pointed to the fact that the electoral body and the police are seemingly hindrances to free and fair elections in the country. Notwithstanding, the outcome of that election is a continuous pattern in many states, where candidates for governors win the majority of the local government poll. This outcome is usually not at the expense of the people’s will. Other electoral bodies, including INEC, can observe the procedures of the conduct of the Rivers State local election and replicate it.
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