The Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission(RVSIEC) has said it will conduct local government elections in the state on May 23.

Addressing journalists on Tuesday in Port Harcourt, the Chairman of the commission, Prof. Augustine Ahiauzu, said the election would take place in all the 23 councils, except Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni local government.

He said the commission was relying on the State Independent Electoral Law No.2 of 2001 (as amended) and State Local Government Law No.3  of 1999 (as amended) to conduct the election.

Ahiauzu said political parties were eligible to sponsor candidates for the election, provided they completed and submitted an expression of interest form to participate in the election on or before April 24.

He said the commission had concluded arrangements with security agencies to ensure free and fair elections on May 23.

“The security agencies will take care of security and ours will be to conduct the election,” he said.

Ahiauzu also explained that the period for the election was not short because it had 32 days to carry out the exercise.

“The law requires us to use 21 days to conduct the election. We have more days and we are within the law,” he said.

“Our activities are law-based and we cannot go outside the law,” he emphasised, adding that the commission was hopeful that the election would be peaceful and successful.

Rivers State Governor, Hon. Chibuike Amaechi, had on Saturday, May 31, 2014, dissolved 21 out of the 23 local government councils in the state. He said the tenure of the council officers expired Friday, May 30, 2014.

Degema and Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni local Government councils were not affected because elections were recently conducted into the two councils.

Since then, the councils have been run by caretaker committees appointed by the governor.