Political Parties Reject Polls In Rivers …As Jega Says No Enough Evidence To Cancel Election

INEC collation officer for Rivers State, Prof. John Etu-Efeotor, handing over the results sheet of the presidential election in the state to INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, at the National Collation Centre in Abuja, yesterday.

As reactions trail the just- concluded Presidential and National Assembly election in Rivers State, the concerned political parties in Rivers State has joined the All Progressives Congress (APC) in calling for the  cancellation of the elections in the state.
The group, which said this at a press briefing in Port Harcourt on Monday, alleged high level irregularities in the conduct of the elections in the state.
The leader of the group, Hon Nsirim Chima of the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP), also accused the state Resident Electoral Commissioner of colluding with the Peoples Democratic Party to rig the elections.
“We, the undersigned political parties under the auspices of concerned political parties in Rivers State, committed to upholding globally acceptable tenets of democracy unanimously declare that there was no election in the 28th of March 2015.
“Rather, what was purported to be an election was a mockery of democracy, as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in concert with the Resident Electoral commissioner (REC) of Rivers State marred the entire process with high momentum of irregularities ad malpractices deliberately orchestrated to rig the election in favour of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“The fact that INEC in Rivers State compromised is  incontrovertible as there was virtually no polling unit where votes were cast, counted results announced and pasted as required by the electoral law”.
The group also alleged killings and general intimidation as PDP thugs allegedly aided by security operatives, brazenly orchestrated mayhem on intending voters and members of other political parties.
They also urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to resist all forms of illicit overtures by political parties and politicians to lure it to indulge in activities that would mar the success of the elections.
Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State rejected the results of the National Assembly elections won by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.
The rejection is contained in a statement issued by Director of Media, Greater Together Campaign Organisation of the party, Mrs Ibim Semenitari,  in Port Harcourt.
It stated that the result was not acceptable to the party, and called for the cancellation of the elections.
“This is not acceptable to us and we reiterate our call for the cancellation of all elections in Rivers State,’’ it stated.
According to the statement, the result is a denial of the people’s right to air their voices.
It stated that APC agent in INEC submitted petitions to the Resident Electoral Commissioner on the conduct of the election but was sent out of the collation centre on March 28.
It would be recalled that the results of Saturday’s National Assembly elections in Rivers had been released with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) winning all the seats in both chambers of the assembly.
The Chief Returning Officer for the state, Prof. John Etu-Efeotor,  announced the results in Port Harcourt on Monday.
Efeotor, who is the Vice Chancellor of Federal University of Petroleum, Effurun, Delta, said that Sen. George Sekibo of the PDP polled 662,278 to win Rivers East Senatorial District.
According to him, Sekibo defeated his All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Hon Andrew Uchendu, who scored 52,064 votes.
In Rivers South-East district, Mr Olaka Nwogu of PDP polled 408,353 votes to beat Sen. Magnus Abe of APC, who had 23,052 votes.
The third senatorial seat, Rivers South-West, was picked by PDP’s Mr Osinakachukwu Ideozu, who scored 279,745 as against 24,687 votes polled by Mr Otelemaba Amachree of the APC.
For the House of Representatives seats, Efeotor announced that PDP won in the 13 Federal constituencies in the state, with Betty Apiafi scoring 64,016 votes to defeat APC’s Robinsoh Ewoh, who polled 3,654 votes for Abua/Odual/Ahoada East seat.
Mr Uche Obi won the Ahoada West/Egbema/Ndoni seat with 90,891 votes against 8,967 votes scored by Lucky Odili of APC.
Similarly, Jacobson Nbina polled 141,410 votes to pick Tai/Eleme/Oyigbo constituency ticket as against 9,920 votes scored by Bari Mpigi of APC.
Other winners included Kingsley Chinda, who scored 182,158 votes to win Obio/Akpor constituency ticket, defeating Tony Okocha of APC who got 13,286 votes; Awaji Abiante scored 95,000 votes to win Sampson Egop of APC with 5,366 votes for Andoni/Opobo/Nkoro constituency.
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says there is no substantial evidence to cancel result of Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly elections in Rivers State.
Chairman of the commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, made this known at the National Collation Centre of the election in Abuja, yesterday.
The position of the INEC was sequel to the petition by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and calls by some political stakeholders in the state for the cancellation of the result.
The petitioners had alleged massive irregularities during the elections.
“Elections all over the world are not perfect and we do not believe that the allegations are substantial enough to cancel the results.
“The commission, however, constituted a three-man committee to investigate the allegations.
“The three-man committee went to the state yesterday (Monday) to investigate the allegation and they returned this morning and were giving us a debriefing this morning which resulted in the delay of today’s process,’’ Jega said.
He, therefore, directed that result of the presidential poll from Rivers State should be announced, and it was done by the Collation Officer for the state, Prof. John Etu-Efeotor,  who is the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun, Delta.