Rivers crisis: Wike camp heads for court as Fubara swears in LG chairmen

•APC, PDP factions vow legal battle as gov, Atiku, others counsel LG chiefs on residents’ welfare

The Rivers State Peoples Democratic Party and the All Progressives Congress factions on Sunday rejected the conduct and outcome of the local government election, stating that no election was held in the state on Saturday.

The Rivers PDP loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, described the poll as an exercise in futility, vowing to challenge it in court.

The Wike camp said this as the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, swore in the newly elected council chairmen of the 23 local government areas of the state.

The exercise was held on Sunday at the Executive Council Chamber of the Government House in Port Harcourt, the state capital, hours after the chairmen were issued certificates of return by the Chairman of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, Adolphus Enebeli.

The Saturday council election, which was marred by explosions and gunfire, was won by the Action Peoples Party which secured 22 out of 23 chairmanship positions, while the Action Alliance candidate won one seat.

The APP also won 314 out of the 319 councillorship seats in the 23 LGAs in the state.