President Bola Tinubu, on Monday, urged Governor Siminalayi Fubara, political leaders and their supporters in Rivers State to exercise restraint and uphold the rule of law.

He urged the political actors and their supporters to settle their differences in court, saying, “Self-help has no place in a democratic system.”

The President’s admonition follows reports of arson and vandalism of public facilities in Rivers State after last Saturday’s local government elections.

In a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President ordered the police to guard public facilities to restore and maintain peace, law and order immediately.

The statement is titled, ‘President Tinubu decries violence in Rivers, directs police to provide security to local government offices.’

The Action People’s Party dominated the recent local government elections in the state when it secured 314 out of 319 councillorship seats across the state’s 23 local government areas.

The Chairman of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, INEC, Justice Adolphus Enebeli, announced the results in Port Harcourt on Sunday.

According to the RSIEC, the APP won 314 wards, while the All Progressives Congress, Labour Party, Social Democratic Party and Young People’s Party each clinched one seat.

The Rivers State PDP and the APC factions rejected the conduct and outcome of the election on Sunday, saying no election held on Saturday.

The Rivers PDP loyal to the former Governor, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, vowed to challenge the results in court.

Meanwhile, the incumbent Governor, Fubara, who has been at loggerheads with his predecessor, has since sworn in the newly elected council chairmen of the 23 local government areas.

This has sparked tension in the state as supporters of each camp have laid siege to public facilities.

In response to recent tension, “the President expressed deep concern over reports of arson and explosions in the state,” Onanuga said.

The statement read, “He urged all political actors to de-escalate the situation and discourage their supporters from engaging in violence or destructive actions. President Tinubu directed the police to restore and maintain peace, law, and order immediately.

“While instructing law enforcement agencies to bring the situation under control, he emphasised the need to ensure the security of public institutions. President Tinubu said government facilities built with public funds must be safeguarded from vandalism.

“He stressed that self-help has no place in a democratic system, especially after 25 years of continuous democracy. According to President Tinubu, the judiciary can settle all political disputes, and the outcome of this election should be no exception.”

Meanwhile suspected hoodlums have set ablaze a section of Emohua local government secretariat in Rivers state.

This is the third local government secretariat that was torched by hoodlums on Monday.

Earlier, some irate youths set sections of Eleme and Ikwerre local government secretariats in the state on fire.

The mob invaded the Emohua LGA secretariat after David Omereji, the newly elected chair, his deputy and councillors were sworn in on Sunday.

After the ceremony, hoodlums invaded many Rivers LGA secretariats to cause destruction and prevent newly elected officials from resuming their duties.

Some of the newly elected chairpersons and councillors arrived at their new offices to the sight of thick black smoke.

At Obio/Akpor LGA, hoodlums invaded the secretariat and started shooting sporadically to scare away workers.

The hoodlums were repelled by armed police officers.

The destruction comes hours after Kayode Egbetokun, inspector-general of police, ordered the immediate withdrawal of police personnel from the secretariats of the 23 LGAs of the state.

Grace Iringe-Koko, police spokesperson in Rivers, who announced the development, said the IGP’s directive “is in line with the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to ensure neutrality and the smooth functioning of democratic institutions

On Sunday, Siminalayi Fubara, Rivers governor, swore in 23 newly elected local government chairpersons.

The Action Peoples Party (APP) won 22 LGAs in Saturday’s election, while the Action Alliance (AA) was victorious in one LGA.

Fubara’s loyalists joined APP to secure the party’s tickets to contest the election.

Speaking at the swearing-in ceremony on Sunday, Fubara said there were plans to perpetrate violence against the elected officials.

The crisis in the state is connected to the feud between Fubara and Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory.