The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has rejected the August 30, 2025, local government elections scheduled by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), calling the exercise illegal and unconstitutional.
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In a strongly worded letter to RSIEC Chairman, IPAC said elections cannot be conducted while the state remains under emergency rule. The letter was signed by IPAC National Chairman Yusuf Dantalle and National Secretary Maxwell Mgbudem, and copied to President Bola Tinubu, the National Assembly leadership, INEC Chairman, DSS Director-General, and the Inspector-General of Police.
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IPAC argued that since President Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers on March 18, 2025, suspending all democratic institutions except the judiciary, it is unconstitutional for a sole administrator to organise any election.
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According to IPAC, the emergency rule was meant to address security and governance breakdown in the state, not to pave the way for unilateral electoral decisions. It said RSIEC has no legal standing to conduct elections because it was not constituted by a democratically elected governor and confirmed by the House of Assembly as required by law.
Describing the move as a “caricature of Nigeria’s constitutional democracy,” IPAC warned that going ahead with the polls could worsen the political crisis in Rivers.
Following its general assembly meeting, the council announced its total withdrawal from the electoral process and urged all political parties in the state to boycott the planned council elections.
It further stated that if RSIEC proceeds with the election, IPAC would consider other lawful actions to challenge what it called an illegitimate exercise.
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