*As electorates blame police, military for thuggery, violence during elections
The Action Peoples Party (APP) has emerged victorious in the Rivers State Local Government election, winning in 22 out of the 23 chairmanship positions announced so far.
The Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), officially announced the election results on Saturday, with the Chief Election Officer, Justice Adolphus Enebeli, making the declarations in Port Harcourt.
The RSIEC boss, Justice Enebeli, described the elections as free and fair.
Announcing the results, Enebeli stated that each of the winners secured two-third majority votes cadt in their respective wards across the 23 Local Government Areas (LGA) in the state.
“Results for 19 Wards in Etche LGA are still being collated, while the results for the 319 councillorship positions across the LGA will be announced in due course,” he said.
He further said that elections were conducted in all the 6,866 polling units, in 319 Wards, with 18 of the 19 political parties participating.
“The elections, which concluded at 3 p.m., recorded a significant voter turnout, with several people defying the rain to cast their ballots across the state,” he said.
He commended the political parties and residents of the state for their dedication to ensuring a smooth electoral process, stressing that there was no incidences of violence or vote snatching anywhere in the state.
The list of the successful Chairmen included Vincent Obu (Abua/Odual), Chibudom Ezu (Ahoada-East), Iyekor Ikporo (Ahoada-West), Mrs Tonye Briggs-Oniyide (Akuku-Toru), Lazarus Nteogwuile (Andoni), and Dr Sule Amachree (Asari-Toru).
Others were Dame Anengi Barasua (Bonny), Dr Harry Agiriye (Degema), Chief Brain Gokpa (Eleme), David Omereji (Emohua), Monday Dumiye (Gokana), and Isreal Abosi (Ikwerre).
Also declared winners were Martins Nwigbo (Khana), Chijioke Ihunwo (Obio/Akpor), and Isaac Umejuru (Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni), Ishmael Oforibika (Ogu/Bolo), Igwe Achese (Okrika), and Promise Reginald (Omuma).
The rest were Enyiada Cookey-Gam (Opobo/Nkoro), Gift Okere (Oyibo), Ezebunwo Ichemati (Port Harcourt) and Matthew Dike (Tai).
The announcement of the results were witnessed by agents of the 18 political parties which sponsored candidates for the election, members of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), and civil society groups, among others .
APP is believed to be the alternative political structure linked to supporters of Governor Fubara since it appears Wike has tightened his grip on the PDP national and state leadership.
*We now know those that sponsor electoral violence – Dagogo
Meanwhile, political analysts attributed electoral violence and political manipulations to security agencies, stressing that the unfortunate decision of the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to withdraw security from protecting voters and the balloting materials from possible attack by hoodlums, when viewed against the general peaceful conduct and smooth process witnessed in the state, was a pig pointer that security agencies, especially the police and the military, were responsible for violence witnessed during elections in the country.
“Can’t you see? Is it not now clear? Did you hear of any ballot box snatching or shooting anywhere? Or violence at any collation center?
“This tells you clearly that the videos and pictures we have been recording and showing the world on violence associated with elections were actually perpetrated by the security agencies whose uniforms and vehicles were shown in those videos and photographs.
“The Police and the military refused to provide security, did you hear of the activity of any political thugs anywhere? Did you hear of gun shots anywhere? Did you hear of anybody dying anywhere? When the witch cries in the night and a baby dies in the morning, you know who to blame.
“As it has been proven, it is up to the police and other security agencies, who would come up to tell lies about how they would deal with thugs and exhibit show of force before every election, only to be captured on video and still pictures, perpetrating the very same act of electoral malfeasance, but such were totally not recorded in this election, you now know who the political thugs and their sponsors are. It’s clear like daylight,” said John Dagogo, leader of The Election Monitor, an NGO, at Port Harcourt, Saturday.
