Protests broke out at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) secretariat in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Thursday, as tensions mount ahead of the October 5, 2024, local government elections. The large crowd prompted security operatives to intervene, managing the situation and controlling traffic, according to Channels Television.

The protests were sparked by concerns over the delay in releasing the 2023 Voters’ Register by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC). The delay follows a Federal High Court ruling on September 30, 2024, barring INEC from handing over the register due to legal challenges.

Despite this, Governor Siminalayi Fubara insisted the election would proceed as scheduled, citing a Supreme Court ruling that mandates democratically elected local government executives across all states.