CSOs Condemn Planned Rivers LG Elections as Unconstitutional
Press Statement | August 4, 2025
Port Harcourt, Nigeria — The Alliance of Civil Society Organisations for Expansion of Electoral and Democratic Space (ACCESS) in Nigeria has issued a strong condemnation of the planned local government elections in Rivers State, scheduled for August 30, 2025.
The elections, orchestrated by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) under a Sole Administrator, come after the controversial removal of Governor Siminalayi Fubara. ACCESS describes this process as a gross violation of Nigeria’s constitutional democracy and a flagrant abuse of legal norms.
Engr. Kenneth Eze, Executive Director of Speak Out Africa Initiative (SOAI), and spokesperson of the coalition, warned that the conduct of local elections by an unconstitutional administration is not only illegitimate but also null and void.
Legal Infractions and Supreme Court Precedents
The 21-day notice given by RSIEC violates Section 150(3) of the Electoral Act, 2022, which requires at least 90 days before conducting local elections. This same reason previously led the Supreme Court to nullify Rivers State’s October 2024 LG elections.
Demands by the Coalition
- Immediate suspension of the August 30 LG elections
- Reinstatement of the constitutionally elected Governor
- Restoration of constitutional order in Rivers State
- Upholding Section 1(2) of the Nigerian Constitution
ACCESS calls on INEC, the judiciary, and the international community to reject this unconstitutional process and protect democratic integrity in Nigeria.