Despite widespread anxiety triggered by the withdrawal of security by the Nigeria Police, the much anticipated Rivers local government election has remained peaceful in most parts of the state.
Reports monitored by The Trumpet indicate that voting started in some places as early as 9 am as election officials arrived armed with all necessary materials.
In most of the local government areas monitored like Bonny, Khana, Tai, Okrika, Emohua, Opobo Nkoro, Ikwerre, Oyigbo, Port Harcourt, Gokana, election was peaceful with many enthusiastic voters performing their civic duties by voting for candidates of their choice.
However, an isolated case of violence was recorded at Rumuji Field, ward 11, Mile One in Port Harcourt City Local Government when some thugs emerged from nowhere and snatched the ballot box after some scuffle with prospective voters present.
In Eleme Local Government, there was dry voting in most places as the election officials were nowhere to be found.
At some of the polling units, it was in the morning of Saturday that names of eligible voters were pasted.
The Caretaker Committee Chairman of Eleme Local Government, Chief Brain Gokpa, who is also the Chairmanship candidate of the Action Peoples Party APP, was alleged to have hijacked the election materials which resulted in dry voting in most polling units.
In some of the places visited, some voters who reacted to the absence of policemen at the voting centers pointed out that their absence even made the process smoother.
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The Rivers Local Government election was preceded by a lot of crisis and confusion as the pro Wike ( the FCT minister) forces were bent on frustrating the exercise, employing all manner of tactics to ensure that the election did not hold.
Their last ditch effort was to prevail on the Nigeria police to withdraw their services, which they hoped would beloud the voters with fear and make them shun the election over concern for their safety.
But the reverse became the case as voters turned out en masse at most centers to cast their vote.
Governor Siminalayi Fubara had adressed Rivers political stakeholders on Thursday in Government House, Port Harcourt where he assured them that both the State Government and the State Independent Electoral Commission, (RSIEC) were ready to conduct the election amidst all the desperation by the Wike camp to stop it.
The Governor had appealed to them to go home and sensitive the people to come out and cast their vote for their choice candidates.
