RSIEC Sets New Date for Fresh Local Government Elections in Rivers

The Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) has scheduled fresh local government elections for August 9, 2025, following the Supreme Court’s recent annulment of the previous polls. The court ruled that the elections conducted in 2024 did not comply with existing electoral laws.

RSIEC Chairman, Justice Adolphus Enebeli (Retired), announced the new date during a stakeholder meeting at the commission’s headquarters in Port Harcourt. He also presented the official timetable and guidelines for the elections, emphasizing the commission’s commitment to ensuring a free, fair, and credible process. Enebeli urged political parties to strictly adhere to the rules governing the election.

The Supreme Court had on February 28, 2025, nullified the local government elections held on October 5, 2024, citing RSIEC’s failure to follow the provisions of the Electoral Act. The invalidated elections saw candidates of the Action Peoples Party (APP) securing 22 out of the 23 chairmanship seats, as the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) refused to participate.