By Mark Lenu
Commercial drivers in Rivers State have shown readiness to convey election officials and materials to all the polling areas in the state where the local government election has been scheduled to be held on Saturday, October 5.
Despite conflicting court rulings to allow or stop the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission from conducting the election as scheduled, Governor Siminalayi Fubara of the state had insisted that the election must be held.
The commercial drivers said that though RSIEC had yet to reach an agreement with them regarding the services they were to render on the day of the election, they still maintained their willingness to render their services.
In a chat with our correspondent, the Chairman, the Urban Drivers Welfare Association, Comrade Lekia Isaac said his union is expecting to meet with the leadership of RSIEC this week before the election, adding that the union is prepared for the election.
“We want to meet with RSIEC this week to reach certain agreements with the election body, especially on security cover and we are fully ready to render our services for the election,” he said.
The Action Peoples Party appears to be the party that would win either all or majority chairmanship and councillorship positions in the forthcoming election.
Almost all the candidates contesting the election on the platform of the APP were endorsed by the governor who was unfairly treated by the immediate past council chairmen and wouldn’t want the council executives that this election would produce to disrespect him.
The entire 23 local government areas of the state will have their new executives after the election which would replace the caretaker committees, the governor inaugurated in June to plot the affairs of the respective councils.
Some advocacy groups had urged the governor to use his good office to make sure the forthcoming election is free fair and credible and that only candidates, genuinely voted for by eligible voters should emerge winners.
