Rivers: IPAC rejects August 30 council elections

• Advises members to shun participation

From Tony John, Port Harcourt

The Inter-Party Advisory Council of Nigeria (IPAC) has rejected the August 30, 2025, Local Government Area elections announced by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC).

IPAC stated its rejection of the polls in a letter addressed to the Chairman of RSIEC, signed by Yusuf Dantalle, National Chairman, and Maxwell Mgbudem, National Secretary.

The council copied the letter to President Bola Tinubu, Senate President, Speaker, Federal House of Representatives, Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Director-General, Department of State Security (DSS), and Inspector-General of Police (IGP).

IPAC said that, as the umbrella body of all registered political parties in Nigeria with the superior objective to consolidate, strengthen, and deepen democracy in the country, it is in pursuit of this shared objective that it wrote to RSIEC concerning the “illegality and unconstitutionality of the proposed Rivers State Council (Local Government Area and Councillorship) Elections scheduled to hold on the 30th of August, 2025.”

According to the group, the process of conducting the Rivers State council elections during the period of emergency rule in the state is a caricature of Nigeria’s constitutional democracy and its institutions.

It argued that the Rivers State sole administrator, in a state of emergency, lacks the constitutional right to conduct a democratic election.

It stated: “Sir, it is common knowledge that His Excellency, President Ahmed Bola Tinubu GCFR, on 18th March, 2025, while proclaiming a State of Emergency in Rivers State, accentuated, amongst other issues, those bordering on security and constitutional breaches and suspended all democratically elected institutions in the State, allowing only the judiciary as the only democratic institution to function.

“There is no gainsaying that the state of emergency was declared to contain the persistent political crises and restore peace and order in Rivers State, which is the paramount responsibility of the Sole Administrator and not to go ahead with conducting democratic elections, which in itself could brew further political crises.

“We herein unequivocally express our utmost dismay and concern at your resolve to continue on the path of illegal and unconstitutional exercise with total disregard for Nigeria’s constitutional democratic norms.

“It is imperative to note that your commission, as presently constituted, lacks the legitimate authority to conduct any election in Rivers State, as the only constitutionally recognised authority to appoint members of the State Electoral Commission is the governor, confirmed by the State House of Assembly, all being democratically elected institutions.

“It is on the strength of the above and many more unconstitutional and illegal steps taken by the sole administrator that IPAC, as a body geared towards entrenching deep-rooted democratic norms in our society, vehemently condemns in its entirety the illegal process of conducting council elections in Rivers State without first lifting and restoring democratic institutions in the state.”

IPAC declared that, after its General Assembly meeting, it unambiguously dissociated from “this illegitimate exercise, which threatens our democratic norms and rule of law. On this note, IPAC hereby directs all lovers of democracy in Rivers State, especially all political parties, to desist from participating in the council election slated to hold on 30th August, 2025.”

The Inter-Party Advisory Council will explore other legitimate means to ventilate its grievances and concerns should RSIEC ignore and disregard this patriotic and reasonable approach towards calling it to order and restoring sanity in the state.