Pastor Tamunotonye Profit Tobins, the Commissioner in charge of Civic Education and Public Affairs, has announced that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has provided the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RISIEC) with the voters register. This action effectively nullifies a recent lawsuit by Chief Tony Okocha against the move.
Tobins stated that RISIEC obtained the register in preparation for the upcoming election after visiting INEC and requesting the necessary materials. “INEC met all our demands, supplying the voters register, a compendium of wards, and units across Rivers State based on the 2023 updated voters register,” he said.
Tobins stressed that RISIEC acquired the vital document before the lawsuit aimed at stopping INEC from sharing it. He assured that the records remain verifiable, further solidifying the lack of merit in the lawsuit.
Moreover, Tobins reaffirmed that the October 5 election in Rivers State will proceed as scheduled, as there is no court ruling to halt the process. He also noted that 18 out of 19 registered political parties in Nigeria are participating, with the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) being the sole exception.
Regarding the order stopping the police from providing security for the local government elections, Pastor Tamunotonye Profit Tobins emphasized that the police are legally mandated to protect lives and properties, particularly during elections. He mentioned that the laws governing Nigeria and the Police Act empower the police to provide security cover before, during, and after elections, and this responsibility cannot be taken away from them.
