Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has made a bold statement, warning that the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun should be held accountable if there is any breakdown of law and order in Rivers State. This follows an incident where Fubara intervened at the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) office to prevent what he described as an attempt by police officers to steal election materials for the upcoming Local Government elections.
Fubara expressed concerns that the Nigerian Police were working against the state's interests and questioned the federal government's involvement in a process that is supposed to be under state jurisdiction. He emphasized that the local government elections are a state matter and that any federal attempt to interfere would be strongly resisted.
The Governor's statements underscore ongoing tensions between the federal and state governments over control of election processes, particularly in sensitive areas like Rivers State, which has a history of political volatility. With the election scheduled for Saturday, the situation is closely watched to see how it unfolds.
This development adds another layer of complexity to Nigeria's already challenging political landscape, particularly concerning the autonomy of state institutions in conducting local elections.