PDP, Labour Party, ADC Miss Rivers By-Election Over Primary, Legal Issues

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP), and African Democratic Congress (ADC) will not participate in the February 21 by-election in Rivers State.

The by-election will be conducted in Ahoada East Constituency 2 and Khana Constituency 2 to fill vacant seats in the Rivers State House of Assembly.

The vacancies followed the resignation of Edison Ehie, who was appointed Chief of Staff to Governor Siminalayi Fubara, and the death of Dinebari Loolo in September 2023.

Speaking in Port Harcourt on Friday, Rivers Resident Electoral Commissioner Gabriel Yomere announced that seven political parties have been cleared to contest the poll. The approved parties are AA, APC, APN, BP, NNPP, YPP, and ZLP.

According to Yomere, the excluded parties failed to meet specific legal and procedural requirements.

He explained that the PDP did not conduct primaries, while the Labour Party informed the commission that it is currently involved in ongoing litigation. Although the ADC conducted primaries, it failed to upload the results to INEC’s headquarters portal within the legally required timeframe.

“That is why they were excluded. Nobody is interested in excluding them,” Yomere stated.

He assured residents of a free, fair, and credible election, adding that all Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines have been configured and non-sensitive materials distributed.

Yomere also disclosed that only INEC staff, not ad hoc personnel, will oversee the conduct of the by-election.