From TONY JOHN, Port Harcourt
The Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), has denied the report that it has shifted the forthcoming local government council election in the state.
RSIEC made the refutal in a statement dated August 13, 2024, which was signed by its Chairman, Justice Adolphus Enebeli (rtd).
The state election umpire was reacting to a trending report on social media that the planned council poll had been postponed following a court restraining order.
In reaction to the viral report, RSIEC described it as fake news, stressing that October 5 scheduled for the poll remains sacrosanct.
The commission emphasized that there was no time the chairman, Justice Enebeli, issued or uttered such statement.
Justice Enebeli stated: “The attention of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission has been drawn to a spurious article making the round, in the social media space purporting the Chairman of RSIEC as saying that Rivers State Local Government Election scheduled for October 5, 2024, will be postponed until the court order is lifted.
“This is to certify that the Chairman of RSIEC, Hon. Justice Adolphus Enebeli, DSSRS, (Rtd) never issued/uttered any such statement at any time.”
RSIEC advised members of the public to dismiss and discountenance the report, stating that the commission is on course to conduct the council election as scheduled.
“The general public is, therefore, hereby advised to dismiss and discountenance the article in its entirety, as same as false, baseless and unfounded.
“And for the avoidance of doubt, it is hereby declared that the Rivers State 2024 Local Government Election Time-Table is still on course and the 5th October, 2024 election day is sacrosanct.”