By Jimitota Onoyume
PORT HARCOURT—  ELEVEN political parties are to participate in tomorrow’s  re-run and bye elections for four councillorship seats in four local government areas in Rivers State.

Electoral Commissioner, Public Affairs and Civic Education, Mr. Nimi Walson Jack, in a statement, said 16 candidates from the political parties would contest the various elections.  “In Ward 8 (Igbuduya IV), Ahoada-West Local Government Area, a re-run of the 2008 council election would be contested by the Action Congress of Nigeria’s candidate – Anyike Ebenezer, Nigerian Advance Party’s candidate – Amos Atu, and Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate – Ogbonna Macmillian.

African Renaissance Party’s candidate, Stanley Modhiochukwu, has withdrawn from the election.” “It is a re-run election, which was nullified by the Rivers State Local Government Election Petitions Tribunal,” he said.

The Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, subsequently directed that the re-run be held only upon the inclusion of the names of some candidates in the voters register by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

RSIEC has now received the updated Register of Voters in respect of the  Ward.

Councillorship bye-elections would be held in three Wards of three Local Government Areas, namely for Ward 12 (AKOH II) – Ahoada-East, Ward 5 (Buguma South West) – Asari-Toru, and Ward 14 (ODEGU II) – Emohua. These bye-elections are being held to fill the vacancies occasioned by the untimely death of the Councillors representing these Wards.