The Centre for Credible Leadership and Citizens Awareness (CCLCA), a coalition of 30 civil society and non-governmental organizations, has declared the August 30, 2025 Local Government elections in Rivers State free, fair, transparent and credible.
Presenting its report at a press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, the coalition, which was accredited as an official observer by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), described the poll as a landmark exercise conducted under extraordinary circumstances.
The Head of the Coalition, Dr. Nwambu Gabriel Chibuzor, noted that the elections were held within a 30-day period following the Supreme Court’s nullification of the previous polls and the subsequent declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in line with Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
According to him, the RSIEC, under the leadership of its Chairman, Dr. Michael Odey, displayed “unprecedented professionalism, competence and commitment” by successfully conducting elections across 4,442 polling units, 319 wards and 23 local government councils within the legally stipulated time.
The CCLCA reported that campaigns by the dominant political parties, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC), were largely issue-based, unlike previous elections characterized by personality attacks. The coalition also observed the absence of pre-election violence, while movement and distribution of sensitive and non-sensitive materials were timely and well-coordinated, even to remote riverine areas.
Observers deployed across the state reported early commencement of voting, orderly accreditation, and impressive voter turnout. The coalition said claims of voter apathy were unfounded as participation increased significantly by midday.
Significantly, the coalition noted the absence of thuggery, ballot box snatching and vote buying, describing the development as “a first in the history of elections in Nigeria in recent years.”
The RSIEC was also commended for prompt payment of ad-hoc staff one week after the elections, with Port Harcourt City being the last batch to receive payments. This, the group stressed, was a clear departure from past practices where delayed or non-payment often led to protests and disruptions.
Law enforcement agencies were also praised for their professionalism and adherence to the rules of engagement.
The coalition pointed out that the outcome of the election, in which the opposition APC won 20 chairmanship seats while the ruling PDP secured only 3, underscored the transparency and credibility of the process.
“This result, uninfluenced by incumbency, is a powerful demonstration of democracy at its best,” Dr. Chibuzor stated.
The coalition recommended that the RSIEC model should be adopted as a national template for credible election management.
“As a coalition of RSIEC-accredited observer organizations, we hereby make this solemn proclamation: the August 30, 2025 Local Government Elections actually held across all polling units, wards and local government councils in Rivers State were transparent, free, fair and credible, and consistent with the extant laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the statement concluded.
CCLCA hails RSIEC for conducting free, fair and credible Rivers local Government polls
