Anxiety as INEC defers results of Rivers reruns
Election now cancelled in eight LGs ÏAmaechi, Wike in shouting match at police station
Sporadic shooting reported in Port Harcourt ÏKidnapped Water Resources commissioner released
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has deferred till today announcement of officials results of the Federal and state legislative elections held in Rivers state on Saturday, even as palpable anxiety and uncertainty have enveloped the atmosphere as the people patiently wait the results.
The keenly contested elections which held across the three senatorial districts of the state were allegedly affected by reported violence and killings in almost all the LGAs of the state, with no fewer than seven persons losing their lives on Saturday. This was even as INEC has suspended the re-run legislative elections in two more local government areas of Rivers.
Resident Electoral Commissioner for the state Aneidi Ikoiwak said that the elections were suspended due to irregularities and violence. He told newsmen in Port Harcourt on Sunday that the commission had earlier suspended the re-run elections in six local governments. He said the eight affected areas are Eleme, Bonny, Andoni, Asari-Toru, Etche, Tai, Khana and Gokana.
“ INEC is currently auditing personnel and materials sent to the field. We will also meet with critical stakeholders before a new date will be announced for re-run in the affected local government areas,’’ he said. INEC conducted elections in 22 of the 32 state House of Assembly seats, 12 of the 13 House of Representatives seats and three Senatorial Districts. Results from other local government areas were yet to be announced by INEC as at press time. The Commissioner for Water Resources in the state, Ibiba Walter who was kidnapped by unknown persons shortly before the election was released early Sunday morning after keeping him away from the poll.
The Secretary to the Rivers state Government, Kenneth Kobani was also arrested by the Military for trying to allegedly compromise the election process. On Sunday, tension over the rerun election reached its height when the two political gladiators in the state – the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi and the Governor, Nyesom Wike – met ‘eye-to-eye’ for the first time in several months at Mile One Police Division, Diobu, Port Harcourt. Trouble started on Saturday after Ekwi Adebisa, collation officer of ward 10, Port Harcourt Local government (PHALGA), allegedly went missing with the result sheet.
She was later arrested by the police and taken to the station. Party supporters who had been monitoring the situation informed their leaders that Adebisa had been brought to the station. Shortly after her arrival, Amaechi showed up in company of Dakuku Peterside, Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Safety Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA); Davis Ikanya; Ibim Semenitari, the Acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), and some APC officials. Wike also came to the station with some of his party men and both sides engaged in a shouting match. The police later called them for a meeting, which journalists were prevented from attending. Wike and Amaechi, former allies, were in the news in the lead-up to the election over their provocative utterances.
