Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has declared October 3 and 4, 2024, as public holidays to allow residents to return to their communities for the upcoming local government elections on Saturday, October 5. He also imposed a ban on vehicular movement from midnight on Friday, October 4, until 5:00 p.m. on Election Day.

During a broadcast from the Government House in Port Harcourt, Governor Fubara highlighted the necessity of holding these elections, following a Supreme Court ruling in A-G Federation v A-G Abia State and 35 Ors, which mandated the removal of unelected officials from local councils by October 31, 2024.

Seventeen out of the 18 registered political parties, including the All Progressives Congress (APC), will field candidates for the elections, according to the governor. He assured citizens of a peaceful and fair election process. Governor Fubara warned that not conducting the elections could lead to a loss of local government funds. He urged residents to participate and emphasized that security measures are in place to ensure safety, including a strict enforcement of movement restrictions.  The Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) has been fully funded to conduct the polls, with security forces instructed to arrest anyone who violates the restrictions.