Protesters gathered at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) headquarters in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Thursday, voicing concerns over the delay in the distribution of the 2023 Voters’ Register. The demonstration occurred just two days before the scheduled local government elections on October 5, 2024.
Security forces were called to manage the situation as the crowd grew, causing traffic disruptions in the area. The protests followed a court ruling on September 30, 2024, which temporarily blocked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from handing over the voters’ register to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC).
Despite the legal hurdles, Governor Siminalayi Fubara maintained that the elections would proceed as planned. He declared public holidays on October 3 and 4 to allow residents to travel to their communities and participate in the election, with restrictions on vehicular movement from midnight on Friday to 5 p.m. on Election Day.
