Governor Siminialayi Fubara stormed the premises of the State Independent Electoral Commission (RISIEC) in Port Harcourt, accusing the police of plotting to scuttle the poll. He labeled the plot nonsense and said the state had had enough of it. His supporters later turned back a detachment of policemen drafted to the premises. The police, citing a court order stopping the poll, said they would not be available to provide security during the election.
The national leadership of the Action Peoples Party (APP), on whose platform Fubara’s candidates are contesting the election, expressed support for the election and disowned a factional group in the state. The local chapter of the party had disowned the Fubara men, saying they are not members of the APP.
The local chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which is loyal to Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike, is not contesting the election while the party’s national leadership threw its weight behind the governor, saying the election must proceed as scheduled. Fubara took an umbrage at the Police Inspector General Kayode Egbetokun for allegedly taking sides in the face-off between him and Wike. He said that he had come to find out why such a thing would happen and that the Nigerian Police were coming to take over the premises.
The Governor’s Chief Press Secretary (CPS) Nelson Chukwudi claimed that his boss foiled an attempt by some policemen to scale the gates and strong room of the commission. He accused the Inspector-General of Police of ordering the deployment of policemen to the RISIEC premises with a view to taking it over. He said the attempt to surreptitiously withdraw policemen already protecting the facility and replace them with a detachment from a neighbouring state was unacceptable.
Fubara’s visit to RISIEC was accompanied by government officials and security aides, who took issue with the Police Inspector General Kayode Egbetokun for allegedly taking sides in the face-off between him and Wike.
