Protests and counter protests have held in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, as the people await the action of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC on the stalemated election in the state.
The protests, which are organised by political parties and civil society organisations, have heightened the already charged atmosphere in the state.
The reactions of these groups over the suspended electoral process in Rivers state instil fear as security operatives looked on.
A Group of Civil Society Organisations and Human Right Groups in conjunction with some concerned youths in Rivers State, Wednesday, took their solidarity match to the Headquarters of Six Division of the Nigerian Army.
The groups particularly requested for more support from the military and other security agencies for the peace and security of lives of the Rivers people.
In a letter delivered to the Six Division by the Chancellor, International Society for Social Justice and Human Right, Omenazu Jackson, the groups apologised to the Nigerian Army over what they described as unguarded and ill-fated comments from some individuals and selfish politicians in the state.
The groups insisted that like the 2015 general elections, without the military in this year’s elections, Rivers State would have recorded more deaths and violence just as they requested for more involvement of the military in elections and other activities in the state.
A Colonel, A.D Abubakar, who received the letter on behalf of the General Officer Commanding Six Division Nigeria Army, Port Harcourt, commended the people and assured that their letter will get to appropriate authorities.
Meanwhile, Leaders and members of 85 INEC-registered political parties also marched through the streets of Port Harcourt, celebrating what they considered as the re-election of Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike.
The parties, under the aegis of the Inter Party Advisory Council, urged the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to diligently conclude the official collation and declaration of the state governorship election results.
The IPAC leaders declared that the Peace Walk was aimed at telling the world that Rivers people irrespective of political affiliations, voted overwhelmingly for Governor Wike on March 9, 2019.
They sang pro-Wike songs as they marched through the streets, insisting that on no account should the votes of the Rivers people be manipulated.
They also passed a vote of confidence on the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in Rivers State, Obo Effanga, and displayed placards the read: “Army Stop Disrupting the Collation Process in Rivers State “, “Army Please Allow INEC Conclude the Collation Process “, “Rivers People Overwhelmingly Voted for Governor Wike on March 9”, “We Shall Continue to Defend our Votes” and “Obo Effanga is a Professional and We are confident in his capacity to deliver “.
In his address, Chairman of IPAC Rivers State, Sir Precious Baridoo said that the political parties are calling on INEC to continue with the collation and declaration of the governorship election results.
“Let the election process continue in Rivers State. We are telling INEC to follow through with the process. We condemn in totality, the calls by a few persons for the removal of the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Obo Effanga. We want him to continue and conclude his job,” he said.
The procession later moved to the Rivers State Headquarters of the Department of State Services (DSS) where they reiterated their demands for the conclusion of the Collation and Declaration of the Governorship Election results of Rivers State. They also re-affirmed their position that the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Rivers State should be allowed to conclude the Collation Process.
The protests are holding at a time when INEC has released the timeline and schedule for the conclusion of the election in Rivers state with a stakeholders’ meeting scheduled for this weekend in Port Harcourt.
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