Elections in Rivers State are supervised and conducted by two major electoral bodies, Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). There are 23 local government areas, 319 electoral wards and 4442 polling units in the state.[1] Elections for Governor and the House of Assembly are held every four years, along with federal elections for President and the National Assembly.
Rivers State organizes elections into its local governments through the State Independent Electoral Commission. Each local government area is governed by a local government council under an elected Chairman or Mayor.[2]
Voting eligibility
editAll citizens 18 years old or above who are residents of Rivers State and live in the ward or local government area where they intend to vote, and have not been rendered unqualified by law may vote. In order to actually vote, citizens are required to register before election day.[3]
In January 2015, the Independent National Electoral Commission recorded a total of 2,537,590 registered voters in Rivers State, Nigeria.[4]
Electoral system
editGovernor
editThe Governor and Deputy Governor are elected through popular vote on the same ticket for a term of four years. They may be re-elected for a second term but may not serve for more than two consecutive terms.
Legislature
editThe House of Assembly consists of 32 members, each elected to four-year terms in single-member constituencies by plurality. The qualified members in turn elect a Speaker, whose primary responsibility is to preside over the House. In carrying out his or her official duties, the Assembly Speaker is assisted by an elected Deputy Speaker, who basically serves as the vice-presiding officer of the House.[5]
Constituencies
edit- Abua–Odual
- Ahoada East I
- Ahoada East II
- Ahoada West
- Akuku-Toru I
- Akuku-Toru II
- Andoni
- Asari-Toru I
- Asari-Toru II
- Bonny
- Degema
- Eleme
- Emohua
- Etche I
- Etche II
- Gokana
- Ikwerre
- Khana I
- Khana II
- Obio-Akpor I
- Obio-Akpor II
- Ogba–Egbema–Ndoni I
- Ogba–Egbema–Ndoni II
- Ogu–Bolo
- Okrika
- Omuma
- Opobo–Nkoro
- Oyigbo
- Port Harcourt I
- Port Harcourt II
- Port Harcourt III
- Tai
Federal elections
editElections occur quadrennially in which riverian voters will directly elect 16 representatives to the Nigerian National Assembly. Those chosen are grouped into 3 senators representing Rivers South East, Rivers West, Rivers East and 13 representatives representing Andoni/Opobo/Nkoro, Obio/Akpor, Oyigbo/Tai/Eleme, Port Harcourt II, Etche/Omuma, Asari-Toru/Akuku-Toru, Okrika/Ogu/Bolo, Khana/Gokana, Port Harcourt I, Ahoada West/Egbema/Ndoni, Abua/Odual/Ahoada East, Ikwerre/Emohua, Degema/Bonny.[6]
Rivers State has voted PDP in the vast majority of elections since 1999. However, the state has been viewed as important in determining the presidential outcome. In 2011, Goodluck Jonathan won comfortably with 1.8 million votes, the highest total gained subnationally that year.[7] His victory was expected considering ruling party's influence on political life at the time. In 2015, Jonathan was again preferred, though, achieved less than his previous record.[8]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Isine, Ibanga (13 April 2015). "INEC declares Wike Governor-elect in Rivers amidst protest by APC, LP". Premium Times. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
- ^ Wigodo, Ike (29 April 2015). "RSIEC Begins Screening Of AdHoc Staff". The Tide. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
- ^ "INEC Educates Nigerians On Election Procedure As They Vote Today". Doy News. 28 March 2015. Archived from the original on 14 June 2015. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
- ^ "Presidential Polls: States that may determine the winner". Vanguard. 31 January 2015. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
The likely voting pattern in the presidential election, will for a long time dominate most post-election discourse. The number of registered voters in Rivers is 2,537,590
- ^ Naku, Dennis (15 June 2015). "Rivers Assembly gets new Speaker, deputy". National Mirror. Archived from the original on June 10, 2015. Retrieved 10 June 2015.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ "PDP clears National Assembly seats in Rivers State". Vanguard. 30 March 2015. Retrieved 28 August 2015.
- ^ "Polls: How Jonathan, Buhari will battle for votes". Vanguard. 23 March 2015. Retrieved 15 June 2015.
- ^ "Jonathan'll win Rivers by wide margin — Wike". Vanguard. 22 December 2014. Retrieved 15 June 2015.