In a live report on the ongoing Rivers State local government elections from 0:18, Channels Television correspondent Deborah Agbalama revealed a concerning absence of security personnel across several polling units, particularly along key routes in Obi-Akpor Local Government area. Agbalama, who had been monitoring the election proceedings, noted that many of the polling units visited lacked any police presence, raising questions about the safety and security of the voting process.
“Most of the polling units that we visited, we did not see a single presence of the police in those places,” Agbalama reported. This absence of law enforcement at crucial polling centers has fueled concerns over the integrity of the electoral process and the ability of voters to cast their ballots freely and safely.
Agbalama’s report also highlighted a significant development in Ward 9, Rumuepirikom, the home ward of former Rivers State Governor and current Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike. “When we took a drive from Rumuola Road down to Rumuepirikom, not a single polling unit was open,” she said. Residents informed the correspondent that elections would not be taking place in Ward 9, casting further doubt on the fairness and transparency of the local government elections in Rivers State. “The feedback we got from the residents is that it’s Ward 9, and that’s the ward where the FCT Minister is from, and they said there’s no election that’s going to happen there,” Agbalama explained.