Rivers State Governor Sim Fubara has openly defied the Inspector-General of Police (IG), daring him to go ahead and shoot, as tensions escalate over the closure of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) office. The crisis erupted on Friday morning when a police team sealed the facility, prompting the governor to confront them personally.
Fubara accused the IG of excessive loyalty to a man who says he owns Rivers state, suggesting that the police’s actions were politically motivated. Speaking to reporters at the scene, he questioned why the police would take such extreme measures despite clear legal backing for holding the election.
The governor cited a Supreme Court ruling, which banned caretaker committees from managing Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Nigeria, as justification for the planned election. He argued that while the police might withhold security based on a Federal High Court ruling, no court had barred the election from taking place. “Keep your security. I do not need it,” Fubara stated, vowing that the election would proceed on Saturday with results declared and winners sworn in.
Gov Fubara’s bold defiance highlights the deepening rift between his administration and the federal police. “If this is the last fight, so be it,” he said, pledging to stay at the RSIEC premises and face whatever consequences the police might impose.
The Nigerian Police, however, justified their withdrawal from providing security for the election, referencing Federal High Court rulings from July and September 2024. They stated that the decision was made to prevent a breakdown of law and order and urged other security agencies to comply. Tactical police units have been deployed to enforce the decision.
Despite the police’s stance, several political parties and civil groups in Rivers State have voiced support for the governor’s decision to proceed with the election. They warned that failing to elect new local government chairmen by the end of October, when caretaker committees expire, could lead to a constitutional crisis.
As the standoff continues, the battle over Rivers’ political future grows more intense, with both sides showing no signs of backing down.
