The Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral (Rtd) Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, has declared that the mandate given to him by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to restore democratic governance in the state has been fulfilled.
Ibas made the declaration on Friday at Government House, Port Harcourt, during the formal presentation of the report of the recently concluded local government elections by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC).
He said the peaceful conduct of the polls and the inauguration of chairmen and councillors in all 23 Local Government Areas represented the successful execution of the presidential directive issued to him in March.
“Mr. President’s mandate to me was clear: to stabilize the state, create an enabling environment for the re-establishment of its institutions, and return Rivers State back to full democratic governance. With the successful conduct and swearing-in of local government chairmen and their councils, I believe we have decisively achieved the mandate that we were given,” Ibas stated.
The Administrator praised RSIEC for conducting what he described as a fair and transparent exercise, saying the election was the first in which voters participated freely without harassment. He assured that government would review the report and release a white paper in due course.
Presenting the report, RSIEC Chairman Dr. Mike Odey described the election as a “historic achievement” and a milestone in Nigeria’s electoral management. He said the Commission complied fully with the state’s electoral laws and completed the entire process within 30 days, a record in the country’s democratic history.
Odey credited the success of the election to collaboration with political parties, civil society groups, security agencies, and what he termed “adequate and sufficient” funding from the state government. He added that the report contained details of the election process, challenges encountered, and recommendations for future improvement.
Both Ibas and Odey commended the people of Rivers State for their peaceful participation and cooperation, pledging continued efforts to consolidate democratic governance in the state.
