APC Sweeps Local Elections in Rivers State

The All Progressives Congress (APC) made a landslide victory in the recent local elections in Rivers State, according to the Punch newspaper. The APC won in 20 out of the 23 councils, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) secured victories in only three councils. The low voter turnout marred the elections, which were held on Saturday. The results were announced by the Chairperson of the local election commission in Rivers, Michael Odey, on Sunday afternoon in Port Harcourt.

Key Takeaways:

• The APC won in 20 out of the 23 councils in Rivers State, while the PDP secured victories in three councils.
• The elections were marred by low voter turnout, with the PDP agent in one ward stating that his party had unanimously endorsed the APC candidate.
• The suspended Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, lost his Opobo-Nkoro Local Government Area to the APC.
• Rivers State has been a PDP-controlled state, but its politics has been significantly influenced by a former governor, Nyesom Wike, a PDP member who has a close relationship with the APC.
• Nyesom Wike, now the FCT minister, played a key role in Fubara's victory in the 2023 Rivers governorship election but fell out with him a few months later.
• President Bola Tinubu suspended Fubara and the state legislature for six months in March this year.
• Fubara's administration conducted local elections in October last year, but the results were later nullified by the Supreme Court.

Statistics:

• 20 APC councils
• 3 PDP councils
• 23 councils in total
• 20% voter turnout (estimated)
• 6 months of suspension for Governor Fubara and the state legislature
• 1 year of Wike's control over the state's politics

Sources:

• [Punch newspaper]
• [Supreme Court ruling nullifying the 2023 local elections in Rivers State]
• [President Bola Tinubu's suspension of Governor Fubara and the state legislature]
• [Rivers State government website]