From Victor Edozie Port Harcourt
The Rivers State Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (rtd), has expressed satisfaction over what he described as “the peaceful and orderly conduct of Saturday’s local government election”, describing it as a decisive and positive step toward restoring full democratic governance at the grassroot level.
Admiral Ibas, while monitoring the electoral process across several local government areas, was encouraged by the conduct of voters and election officials, which he said brought about “a calm and secure atmosphere for the exercise”.
The tour included stops at the Emohua Council Secretariat, the Okporowo/Ogbakiri community, Igbu Ogbo village in Ahoada East, and Ogbunuabali town in Port Harcourt City Local Government Area, where he observed proceedings and interacted with citizens.
Speaking with reporters in Port Harcourt, he expressed joy over what he dubbed “the impressive voter turnout and the serene environment at the polling units as clear indicators that the people of Rivers State are eager to reclaim and participate in grassroots governance.
“I am very happy with what I have witnessed today. The process has been notably peaceful, from the significant turnout to the orderly conduct of both voters and election officials.
“I am confident that at the end of the day, we will have a credible set of results that we will all be proud of as a state,” Vice Admiral Ibas said
He also confirmed that reports from across the state’s 23 Local Government Areas corroborated his first-hand observation, pointing to “a smooth, credible, and largely incident-free exercise”.
“Generally, the situation has been calm and seamless across the state. We have not received any major negative reports, which is a testament to the collective desire for peace and normalcy,” he noted.
Emphasizing the significance of the election, Vice Admiral Ibas stressed that the people of Rivers have unequivocally shown their desire to elect a legitimate leadership that they can identify with at the local level. He insisted that the successful poll was in direct alignment with the primary objective of his mandate to stabilize the state and return it to democracy.
“Certainly, all indigenes of Rivers State want and deserve grassroots leadership they can call their own. That is what this process represents.
“For me, facilitating this foundational tier of democracy is a core objective of my mandate: to put the state back on its stable, democratic path and to empower its people,” he stated.
