By Jimitota Onoyume
PORT HARCOURT—POLITICAL parties and stakeholders have been told to study guidelines and code of conduct that had already been released for the local government elections in Rivers State for the first quarter of next year.

Chairman of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, RSIEC, Prof. Nimi Briggs, who gave the charge in Port Harcourt, assured that his Commission was set to conduct a free and fair election.

The Chairman, who was represented by one of his Commissioners, Mr. Nimi Walson Jack, said the election will hold in 21 out of the  23 local government areas in the state.

He explained that since election into two other local government areas, Degema and Ogba Egbema Ndoni Local Government Areas were conducted recently, the Council executives would be allowed to run their full tenures.

The Chairman said, 60  political parties would participate in the election because they have so far indicated interest to contest the election.

Continuing he said his electoral body would provide grant for all the parties that would contest the election. And parties contesting more seats would get more monies as grant.

He said the Commission will conduct the election with the new voters registration exercise expected in January next year, adding that about eighteen thousand adhoc staff would be engaged for the exercise.

He further advised political parties to conduct healthy primaries as they would not have the opportunity to change their candidates after they have been presented for the election.

The Commission also urged the various political parties for the election to study all guidelines and code of conduct for the election that have been released by the Commission.