The Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) has announced guidelines for the April 2021 Local Government Elections in the State, stressing that the polls would hold on Saturday, April 17, 2020 across the 23 Local Government Areas of the State.
Addressing newsmenwhile unveiling the timetable of activities for the 2021 Local Government polls in the State at the RSIEC headquarters in Port Harcourt on Monday, Chairman of the Commission, Retired Justice Hon. Justice George Omereji restated that RSIEC is determined to carry out its duties as enshrined in the laws.
He said there would be no going back in its determined efforts to organize and conduct a free, fair and credible election in the 23 Local Government Areas of the State.
According to the retired High Court judge, “We shall be firm, resolute and impartial. We are men and women of proven track record and we have our reputations to protect”.
The RSIEC boss appealed to politicians aspiring to contest for positions to do so in civil and disciplined manner while urging the aspirants to play by the rules.
He emphasized that the rules and guidelines were set for the good of all and not intended or skewed against any political party or individual.
It would be recalled that RSIEC had earlier held a sensitization tour at the grassroots, traversing the 23 Local Government Areas of the State with a view to meeting the people at their doorsteps.
Retired Justice Omereji said the essence of the tour was to inform the people of Rivers State that elections into the local government councils would hold on Saturday, April 17, 2021 while urging them to come out enmasse to exercise their franchise in a most peaceful and orderly manner devoid of ill-will, rancor and violence.
He noted that the tour would also avail them the opportunity to enlighten the voting public which would in turn provide the Commission invaluable firsthand knowledge of the geographical landscape and peculiar terrain of their operational environment, which knowledge would be factored into their logistics for distribution and retrieval of sensitive and non-sensitive materials on election day.
