TheCable

The Rivers state local government election has commenced amid low voter turnout in most of the polling units.

The election is taking place in 4,442 polling units across the 23 LGAs.

The All Progressives Congress (APC), which had said it will boycott the poll, is not represented in the exercise.

The Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission had earlier listed the APC among the 18 political parties that would participate in the election.

But the party withdrew after the supreme court recognised the leadership of the faction loyal to Chibuike Amaechi, minister of transportation, as against that of Magnus Abe, a former senator.

Accreditation and voting started late in some of the polling units because of the general voter apathy witnessed at the early stage of the exercise.

Meanwhile, there was a heavy security presence in strategic locations, with roadblocks mounted to restrict vehicular movement.

The Nigeria police force earlier deployed 17,500 officers in the state to ensure a peaceful poll.

Nyesom Wike, the state governor, had also restricted movement from Friday midnight until 5 pm on Saturday “except for persons and vehicles strictly on essential duties.”

“The security agencies have been directed to strictly enforce the restriction on human and vehicular movements and arrest and prosecute any person who dares to violate this ban,” Wike had said.