…describe it as free, fair, credible
From David Onuoja, Abuja
A coalition of Civil Society popularly known as Centre for Credible Leadership and Citizens Awareness (CCLCA), has commended the Chairman, Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), Dr. Michael Odey and his team for conducting a transparent, free, fair, and credible election in the state.
Speaking during a press briefing in Abuja Wednesday, Dr Nwambu Chibuzor, on behalf of the Coalition which consists of about 30 Civil Society and Non Governmental Organizations, said the group, was an accredited election observer for Rivers State Local Government Election held on 30th August, 2025.
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He said, RSIEC needed commendation because it was given an exceptional tight 30-day timeframe to conduct the elections; “This was a task we, as a civil society organization, considered Herculean. An election of this magnitude, covering 4,442 polling units, 319 electoral wards, and 23 local government councils, would ordinarily take the nation’s electoral management body at least a year to prepare for”, he said.
According to him, “This is the first time in the history of Nigeria an election of such magnitude is achieved within a short space of time. Dr. Odey and his team demonstrated an unprecedented level of professionalism, competence, and commitment to the democratic process.
“About 830 Observers deployed to monitor the elections, we observed that the campaigns by the dominant political parties, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressive Congress (APC), were purely issue-based. This is different from previous campaigns where candidates attack personalities and individuals instead of focusing on their manifestos. We commend these candidates and their political parties for their commitment to an issue-based campaign.
“We observed a complete absence of pre-election related violence, tension, or fear, which allowed citizens to go about their normal activities freely. We observed the movement of sensitive and non sensitive election materials from the RSIEC Headquarters to the Local Government Areas, then to the RAC Centres and to the Polling Units on the Election Day.
“The logistical preparations were flawless. The distribution of sensitive and non-sensitive materials, even to difficult riverine terrains, was well-managed and timely.
“We witnessed the early commencement of voting activities across most polling units, with presiding officers and other ad-hoc staff seen in polling units between 8:30 and 9.30am. The accreditation and voting process started promptly and was orderly, a testament to the efficient training and planning by RSIEC.
“The reported voter apathy was unfounded. While turnout was initially slow in commercial areas, it increased significantly as the day progressed, reaching an impressive level by noon.
A landmark observation was the complete absence of electoral malpractices. There was no thuggery, no ballot box snatching, and no vote buying. This is the first time to record these observations at least in the recent past in Nigeria.
“Ad-hoc staff who participated either as Presiding officers, Assistant Presiding Officers or Poll Clerks were paid just one week after the election with Port Harcourt City Local Government being the last batch to be paid”, he declared.
The Coalition also commended the law enforcement agencies for their professionalism and adherence to the rule of engagement. The result were not influenced by incumbency, which speaks volumes about the credibility and integrity of the electoral process, he said.
It equally commended the electorates of Rivers State for their peaceful and law-abiding conduct. While urging the central electoral body to take the exemplary approach adopted by the RSIEC in this election as a national model for effective and credible electoral management in Nigeria.
