The Coalition of Governorship Candidates and Party Chairmen in Rivers State has accused officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in Rivers state of conniving with the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, to truncate the electoral process in the state.
The coalition particularly accused the State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Obo Efangha of working with the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to twist the outcome of the party.
Chairman of the coalition, Pastor Warigbani Ezekiel Zebulun, at a media briefing in Port Harcourt, condemned INEC’s silence over the action of Governor Wike, who according to him, led security aides to retrieve results sheets of Obio-Akpor local government council during collation of results.
He therefore cautioned that the suspension of the election should not be a ploy by INEC to manipulate the process in favour of Governor Wike, adding that the same scenario played out during the, “Port Harcourt Constituency Three bye-election where INEC failed to announce results because PDP lost.”
“However, we condemn in strong terms the inordinate and unpatriotic actions of the Governor of Rivers State and gubernatorial candidate of PDP Chief Barr. Nyesom Wike, who stooped too low to personally hijack the election result sheets and materials meant for Obio/Akpor LGA during which process, an Army officer was shot by his thugs.
“This acts goes to confirm our earlier allegations against the Wike-led State government of gun running.
“It is on record that the State Governor had earlier in his speech commended INEC for her free, fair and credible conduct of the election in the State.
“We therefore, express shock at his call for cancellation of the exercise, as his shameful act of thuggery greets his imminent defeat. On the premise of this ugly and shameful acts, the collation of results has been suspended by INEC.
“The Resident Electoral COMMISSIONER of INEC Rivers State had earlier appointed a younger brother to the Rivers South East senatorial District Candidate of PDP, who also is a strong member of PDP as the returning officer for Khan’s local Government area. The REC also in his voodoo dance appointed PDP members as returning officers for Emohua, Eleme, Andoni, OKRIKA, Omuma, Ogu/Bolo, Tai and PHALGA, with an instruction to deliver the PDP.
“In spite of the above, the REC paid deaf hears to the unearthical and undemocratic activities of the Guber candidate of PDP who hijacked all electoral materials of Obio/Akpor LGA at the collation center.
“We therefore, in the spirit of fairness call on the National Chairman of INEC Prof. Mahmood Yakubu to, as a matter of urgency, redeploy the State Resident Electoral Commissioner in charge of Rivers State to enable the new REC to continue the electoral process.
“We wholeheartedly commend the Army for the display of professionalism and ensuring adequate security before, during and after the election, we pray them to maintain the tempo as only those with sinister plans will not appreciate the commendable efforts of the Army,” Zebulun said.
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