APC calls for outright cancellation of elections in Rivers

 
The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has petitioned the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Attahiru Jega, calling for “outright cancellation and rescheduling” of the presidential and National Assembly elections in the State.

The allegations contained in the petition, if proven, may discredit the election in the state.
In the petition signed by APC Chairman, Davies Ikanya, the party said the “parody of election held in Rivers State” on Saturday was characterised by “deliberate non release of result sheets to nearly all the centres, active collaboration and collusion of the INEC staff with the People’s Democratic Party in undermining the credibility of the election.”

It said violence was orchestrated to scare away voters, adding that the officers of the Nigerian Police Force were also used to arrest some APC leaders and faithful, thereby preventing them from participating in the elections.
All these happened, the APC alleged, because the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Gesila Khan, “a known associate and friend” of President Goodluck Jonathan, “connived” with the PDP.

“The most egregious aspect of the glaring irregularities and breaches in the election is in the area of a wilful and deliberate non availability of results sheets in nearly all voting centres,” the party said.

Accordingly, this was “deliberately made so as to pave the way for the writing of the results thereafter.”
While no result sheets were sent to Emohua, Ikwerre, Omuma, Etche, Akuku Toru, Ogu/Bolo, Okrika, Asari Toru, Ahoada East, Bonny, Khana, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, Ahoada West,Abua/Odual, Oyigbo and some parts of Port Harcourt, only three of 11 wards of Opobo/Nkoro Local Government had result sheets, APC said.

It stated that in spite of strenuous objection by members of the party, “several thousand persons” with fake permanent voter cards, rejected by the card readers, were allowed to vote in almost all the Local Government Areas, particularly, in Tai-eleme, Oyigbo, Ikwerre, Obio/Akpor, Okrika and Ogu/Bolo.
Following seizure of sensitive materials in Gokana and Opobo/Nkoro LGAs, the electoral officers announced there were no elections, APC added.

While the petition was being drafted, APC said it was aware that thumb-printing and collation of fake results were underway at:
1. Landmark Hotel in D/Line, Port Harcourt owned by Olaka Nwogu the PDP Senatorial Candidate for Rivers South East.
2. Jora Hotel in D/Line, Port Harcourt.
3. Senator Lee Maeba’s house in Luwa in Khana LGA of Rivers State.
4. Emma Anyanwu’s house in Ulakwo in Etche LGA of Rivers State.
5. Eugene Minimah’s house in Opobo.
6. Kelechi Nwogu’s house in Omuma
7. Police Station, Kpor in Gokana LGA in Rivers State.
8. Hope Ikiriko’s house in Ogbologbolo in Ahoada West LGA in Rivers State.
9. Krisdera Hotel, Omoku in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA in Rivers State.
10. Mike Elechi’s farmhouse in Elele, Ikwerre LGA in Rivers State.
11. Barrister Harvey Ideozu’s house in Ahoada, Ahoada East LGA in Rivers State.
12. Iboroma Kichener’s house in Akuku-Toru LGA in Rivers State.
“In Gokana local government also, trained-INEC ad hoc personnel were replaced with untrained manpower suspected to be PDP members,” the party said. “It was believed to have been done in connivance with the LGA, Electoral Officer, EO.
“These same actions were also replicated in several other LGAs including Khana LGA where in Wards 6, 9, 16 17 and 18, the Returning Officers, Presiding Officers and Assistant Presiding Officers are all known PDP members. In Okrika LGA, there was a sudden change and appearance of fresh and non-trained INEC ad-hoc personnel. This also happened in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area and other LGAs.

“We want to firmly state that there is nowhere in the world where this sham and debacle that happened in Rivers State can be glorified as an election and allowing this to stand is to posit to the entire World that allocation of votes and massive irregularities and malpractices will be allowed as long as the perpetrators are able to carry same out.”

The party urged Mr. Jega to cancel Saturday’s elections in Rivers State.