For the Saturday June 16th, 2018 Local Government Areas election www.towncrier.ng had uncovered plans by Rivers state executive Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike to have all elected Chairmen sworn in on Sunday 17th of June, 2018 as majority of who are expected to come from his political party-Peoples Democratic Party-PDP from the 23 Local Government Areas in Rivers state.
The reasons behind these swift moves may not be unconnected with the on-going legal dispute before Federal Court of Appeal and Supreme Court of Nigeria over the 2015 Local Government Areas Council election.
All Progressive Congress in Rivers state had challenged the dissolution of its 2015 Local Government Councils election immediately Governor Wike took over as elected Governor of Rivers state on May 29th, 2015 as there has never been any election of Chairmen and Councilors in the 319 wards and 23 Local Government areas of Rivers state since 2015 to 16th of June 2018. As a result of this All Progressive Congress-APC did not participate in the Rivers state Independent electoral Commission’s organized Local Government Councils election as it cited the on-going Court proceedings at both APPEAL COURT and SUPREME COURT of Nigeria.