The National President of the South-South Youth Initiative, Oscar Savior Imeabe has issued a strong appeal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, urging him to intervene in the Rivers State local government election process by addressing growing concerns over the leadership of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission.
In an interview shared by SYMFONI TV, Imeabe expressed dissatisfaction over the appointment of a non-indigene as the chairman of RSIEC, insisting that such a move undermines the legitimacy and credibility of the electoral process.
“We also call on Mr. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to understand that we are not comfortable and we do not accept a non-indigene as the chairman of RSIEC to conduct local government election for Rivers State people,” Imeabe declared.
His comments come amid rising political tensions in Rivers State, where citizens and youth groups have expressed distrust in the state’s electoral processes. The youth leader emphasized that only an indigene of the state, with a firm understanding of its political terrain, ethnic sensitivities and local dynamics, can fairly and transparently oversee elections at the grassroots level.
Imeabe warned that the continued imposition of external actors on sensitive political processes could lead to widespread rejection of election outcomes and further destabilize the already fragile political environment in the state.
He called on President Tinubu to heed the voices of Rivers people and take immediate steps to restore confidence in the electoral commission by ensuring local representation in its leadership.
As the local government election date draws near, concerns like those raised by Imeabe are intensifying calls for electoral reforms and greater accountability in the appointment of officials overseeing democratic processes at the state level.
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