As the Local Government (LG) election im Rivers State draws closer, most Nigerians, including stakeholders, have expressed their opinions concerning the yet-to-be-released 2025 election budget.
The LG election is set to be carried out across 30 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Rivers State on 30 August.
Recall that the ad hoc committees under the emergency rule at the National Assembly have passed over 1.4 trillion naira budget for spending in the forthcoming election, although sources revealed that the budget is under review.
Speaking with Nigeria Info, Dr. Ken Allen-Nwakaoma, a public affairs analyst, expressed concern about the source of funds for the election, while another analyst, Forgiven Amachree, noted that the funds can be generated via alternative sources.
Nigerian Reactions
Following the delays, a Facebook user, Moses Mina, expressed dissatisfaction over the preparation for the LGA election, citing that an election cannot be held in a state under emergency rule.
“Which preparation for council elections? Will INEC, that declined conducting a bye-election into the vacant state constituency since the state is under emergency rule, release the voters list for any election under the system it rebuffed?” Mina said.
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While citing a previous court order, Olatunbosun Ola, a Facebook user, stated that the election will be nullified because of a Supreme Court judgment.
He said, “It’s going contrary to what the Supreme Court judge that removed the past elected LGA executives & INEC is raising a red flag concerning that but nobody is listening. This will show maybe we really have judiciary in Nigeria or not. We are watching.”
Reacting to Amachree’s comment about the availability of the funds, Dawari Cottrell questioned the sources of the funds.
He said, “What other source is he talking of? What is the urgency to go source for funds to fund illegality?”
As citizens express concerns, another user, Williams Eromosele, drew the attention of stakeholders to push for the completion of ring roads located across the LGAs.
“Stakeholders should talk about the abandoned Port Harcourt ring road now before it turns to another monorail, while the FCT Minister is constructing better roads in Abuja and Lagos State is constructing better light rails from start to finish!” he wrote.
Japheth Ibekwe wrote, “Does the sole administrator have the constitutional rights to sign a proposed budget?”
