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By Uchechukwu Ugboaja

Following the boycott of the Rivers State Local Government elections by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), it became obvious that the All Progressives Congress (APC) will sweep the polls considering its current dominance in the state.
The election which held in 22 LGA's was open to contestants in the various chairmanship and councillorship positions took place under very tight security in all the LGA's except Ogba/Egbeme whose chairman still has about 18 months in his tenure.
The Rivers State Electoral Commission (RSIEC) which is saddled with the responsibility to conduct elections in the state may not have been surprised at the reaction of some opposition political parties to boycott the polls owing to alleged predetermination of the outcome. Although the APC led government in the state had already distanced itself from any attempt to influence the outcome of the elections, but could only attribute such claims by opposition parties as an indication of their lack of grass-root presence.

Addressing news men at the RSIEC office in Portharcourt, the Chairman of the commission Prof. Augustine Ahiauzu stated that 22 of the local governments where won by the APC. Although this proclamation is yet to be disputed by the opposition amidst the growing popularity of the APC at the grass root level.
The Chairman of RSIEC declared that the APC won in Omuma LGA with 16,425 votes out of a total of 18,442 votes cast. In Abua LGA where a total of 41,198 votes were cast the APC swept it with 41,070 votes. The story was not different in Ikwerre LGA where the incumbent governor of the state Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi hails from, with 18,686 votes from 19,854 votes cast in total.
The Chairman congratulated the Rivers people for the mass turnout despite the heavy downpour during the early hours of the day. He also appreciated the people for the peaceful conduct of the elections. He charged them to quickly swing into action by inaugurating their council because local government is all about deepening democracy at the grass root level.
All the elected Chairmen and their Vice were all given their certificates of office as the chairman charged them to discharge their duties with the fear of God and diligence in other to deliver the dividends of democracy to their various constituencies. The first and only female elected chairman expressed joy and satisfaction with the process that brought her in and promise not to let her people down.
Prof. Ahiauzu also confirmed that 27 political parties participated in the elections and the APC won in all the LGA,s except for Onelga. The APC also won in 297 out of 322 wards in River, while the remaining wards were won by other parties.
He believed that with this election peacefully and freely conducted that the state is ready to move on especially after the national elections. He also thanked the security agencies who were on duty before, during and after the elections.

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