Rivers LG Polls To Hold May 23 …PDP Kicks

The Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) has released the time table for the conduct of Local Government Elections in the state. Chairman of the commission, Prof Augustine Ahiauzu who briefed newsmen at the commission’s office in Port Harcourt, said that the  release of the time table was in line with the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission law N0.2 of 2001, as amended, the Rivers State Local Government Law No.3 1999 as amended, and other enabling laws.
Ahiauzu said that the election will hold on Saturday, May 23, 2015 in all the local government areas except Ogba/Egbema/ Ndoni Local Government Area.
According to the RSIEC chairman, expression of interest by the political parties starts today, Wednesday, 22 April-Friday, April 24, 2015, political parties will hold primaries for the nomination of candidates for the elections between Wednesday 29 April to Friday, May 1, 2015, while submission of the names of the candidates of the political parties who emerged from the primaries begins Friday, May 1-Saturday May 2, 2015.
Ahiauzu also said that issuance of forms for the candidate seeking election into various positions will hold from Sunday, May 3 to Monday May 4, 2015 while return of duly completed nomination forms would be  accepted Wednesday, May 6, 2015 only.
He also said that determination of the validity of the  nominations and communication of decision as to the validity for invalidity of the nomination runs from Monday, May 4, through Wednesday, May 6, 2015 while submission of the second nominations by candidates whose first nominations were adjudged invalid holds Thursday, May 7, 2015.
The chairman also said that the return of nomination forms for replaced candidates and last date of substitution of rejected candidates is fixed for Friday, May 15, 2015 just as screening of the new nominees for replaced candidates will hold from Friday, May 15 to Saturday, May 16, 2015, and screening of the chairmanship candidates nominated during the extension period from Friday, May 15 and Saturday, May 16, 2015 while last day of the  withdrawal of nominations by candidates/political parties is May 16, 2015.
The rest are , publication of  full names nomination by candidates and their nominators address and occupation on Saturday, May 16, 2015, amongst others.
Ahaiuzu also said that the commission will work with security agencies to ensure hitch-free elections on May 23, 2015, and advised politicians and political parties to play by the rules.
Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Rivers State chapter has described the planed conduct of the  local government council election in the 22 local government areas in the state which was announced yesterday by RSIEC as illegal, provocative and a waste of resources.
This was contained in s statement issued yesterday by the special Assistant to the state PDP chairman, Mr Jerry Needam.
The party in the statement said that in as much as it believes that the  officials of RSIEC were abreast with the provisions of the electoral law and guideline, particularly as it relates to the conduct of the LG polls, “we still wish to  bring to their attention the section that stipulates 90 days notice to the political parties before the  conduct of any election”.

Executive Director of the Citizens Advocacy for Social and Economic Rights (CASER), Mr Frank Tietie and other members of the group, during a protest at the South African High Commission over the xenophobic attacks on Nigerians and other African nationals in South Africa, in Abuja, yesterday