Rivers LG Election Petition Tribunal Begins Sitting

The Rivers State Local Government Election Petition Tribunal has commenced sitting to address petitions filed by aggrieved political parties against elected council chairmen.

The tribunal, led by Chief Magistrate Betty Sunny-Hart, granted a motion exparte filed by Kenneth Alee-Kpea, chairmanship candidate of the Social Democratic Party in Gokana Local Government Area. 

The order allows Alee-Kpea to inspect ballot papers and result sheets used in Ward 10’s seventeen polling units.

Chief Magistrate Sunny-Hart directed Alee-Kpea to conduct the inspection within three days. The hearing however, had been adjourned to November 5, 2024.

Alee-Kpea and his party are challenging Princewill Dumbor-Tomii’s victory, announced by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), in the Action Peoples Party.

In a separate sitting, the tribunal panel headed by Chief Magistrate Menenen Poromon granted a motion exparte filed by Action Alliance and its chairmanship candidate in Obio Akpor Local Government Area, Okechukwu Victor-Amadi. 

The order permits inspection of electoral materials used in the just-concluded local government election.

The three-man panel directed Victor-Amadi to serve the defendants, including Action People’s Party and Council Chairman Chijioke Ihunwo, with the order and return on November 5, 2024, to show proof of service.

Victor-Amadi is challenging Ihunwo’s victory, announced by RSIEC on October 5, 2024.

Also, five aggrieved political parties and their chairmanship candidates have filed suits challenging election victories in various local government areas, including: Obio-Akpor, Emohua, Gokana Port Harcourt City, and One other local government area. 

The tribunal’s proceedings are ongoing, with more hearings expected in the coming weeks.

The Rivers State Local Government Election Petition Tribunal’s decisions will determine the legitimacy of the contested elections and potentially impact the leadership of the affected local government areas.