Traditional Rulers Call for Peaceful Conduct Ahead of Rivers State Local Government Polls

Traditional rulers across Rivers State have issued a joint communique calling for peaceful conduct ahead of upcoming local government elections, urging political parties, candidates and youth groups to avoid the violence that has marred previous council polls in parts of the state.

The communique, signed after a meeting of the state's council of traditional rulers, calls on security agencies to deploy visibly in flashpoint council areas and on political parties to publicly commit their candidates and supporters to non-violence. Several monarchs specifically referenced past incidents of thuggery and ballot box snatching that have undermined confidence in local government polls.

"Our palaces have buried too many young men lost to election violence that served only the ambitions of a few," one traditional ruler said at the meeting. The rulers also called on the state electoral commission to ensure adequate deployment of materials and personnel to reduce the delays that have historically fuelled tension at polling units.

State electoral officials welcomed the intervention, saying royal father endorsement of peaceful conduct has historically carried weight in reducing youth-led violence around council elections in the state.