Rivers Guber, Assembly Polls Inconclusive …As Wike Heads To Victory

Saturday’s governorship
and House of Assembly elections in Rivers State were inconclusive following series of alleged irregularities in some polling units in the state.
While elections did not take place in some parts of the state, there were allegations of electoral malpractices such as hijacking of sensitive election materials in many others.
As a result, voting has been extended into Sunday (yesterday) in some restive areas of the state, while results from the elections were outrightly cancelled in other parts of the state.
The State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mrs Gesila Khan, confirmed the extension in nine wards in the state. These include Asari Toru Ward 13, Abua Odual Ward I, Bonny Ward 12, Degema Wards 11, 12 and 13; Emohua Ward 4, and Obio/Akpor Wards 15 and 16.
Khan also confirmed election cancellation in some parts of the state, attributing it to open snatching of ballot papers, while key election materials were never brought to polling stations in some instances.
She did not, however, specify how many areas were affected by the cancellations.
The state is one of the flashpoints in the country, after the unrest that characterized the Presidential and National Assembly elections on March 28.
Saturday’s elections witnessed violence in some areas. Heavy shooting was reported in Ozuoba and Rumuolumeni in Obio Akpor Local Government Area, while three persons were feared dead in Buguma in Asari Toru Local Government Area.
A policeman was also reportedly killed at Borokiri, Port Harcourt while on election duty.
The State Police Public  Relations Officer, Ahmad Mohammad who confirmed the killing of the Police Cop, traced his death to election violence.
Meanwhile, the house of the State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs Joeba West, a police petrol vehicle, and INEC’s polling centre in Kalabari National College, Buguma were razed by unknown arsonists.
There were also reports of massive card reader failure in Okrika and Abua Odua Local Government Area, where electoral officers resorted to the use of Incident Forms.
The Rivers State governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has, however, described the Saturday’s elections as a sham.
The governor alleged that the elections were marred by ballot snatching and hijacking of other sensitive election materials.
Amaechi who spoke shortly after he was accredited at his ward in Ubima community in Ikwerre Local Government Area, along with his wife, Judith, also alleged that his phone number was cloned by unscrupulous elements who used it to send text messages to members of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the State not to participate in the elections.
But the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief (Barrister) Nyesome Wike dismissed Amaechi’s allegations and described the elections as peaceful.
Official results of the elections released so far as at the time of filling this report indicate that the PDP governorship candidate, Chief Wike won in 14 out of the 16 local government leaving Eleme and Opobo for his closest rival, Dr Dakuku Peterside of APC.

Boye Salau