The Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok Ibas (Rtd.), has officially sworn in the newly elected chairmen of the state’s 23 local government councils.
The swearing-in ceremony took place at the Government House, shortly after the chairmen received their certificates of return from the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) office.
On Saturday, the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) conducted local government elections across more than 6,000 polling units.
According to the Commission, the All Progressives Congress (APC) secured victory in 20 local governments during the exercise, while the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won only two LGAs.
The APC also clinched the councillorship elections in 20 LGAs, while the PDP retained just three councils.
This marks the first time the APC has achieved dominance in Rivers State since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999.
Announcing the results, RSIEC Chairman, Dr. Michael Odey, declared the winners of the chairmanship and councillorship positions at the Commission’s headquarters in Port Harcourt on Sunday. No other political parties participated in the contests.
Voter turnout varied across the state. Rural communities witnessed strong participation, while several urban centres such as Port Harcourt City, Obio/Akpor, and Akukutoro saw a mix of large crowds in some polling units and low turnout in others.
The list of winners released by RSIEC also revealed that some of the chairmen are returning for a second term, having previously served under the administration of former Governor Nyesom Wike.
What you should know
The APC’s sweeping victory in the Rivers State local government elections signals a major political shift in a state long dominated by the PDP.
With 20 LGAs under its control, the APC now holds unprecedented grassroots influence in Rivers, a development that could reshape the state’s political landscape ahead of the 2027 general elections.
