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Tag: 2019 ELECTIONS

  • Lessons from 2019 elections

    The much heralded 2019 elections have been concluded with some measure of success except for the quagmire in Rivers State which, INEC, the electoral umpire, has only just resolved. A lot of malpractices encountered in the elections had been highlighted by both the local and international observers,  and from their reports, the conduct of elections in the country is far below the acceptable standard worldwide. This is mainly because of the attitudes of our political gladiators, who want to win elections  at all cost.

    However, it has to be put on record that the just concluded elections are not the worst conducted since the beginning of the current political dispensation in 1999. This is due largely to the introduction of an element of electronic method of voting through the use of smart card readers in the elections. The 2003 and 2007 elections were less credible than the just concluded elections. In fact , the 2007  presidential election was so riddled with obvious malpractices that the chief beneficiary of the election, the late President Umaru Yar’Adua who was declared the winner of the election was honest enough to tell the whole world that the election was badly flawed. In order to ensure that future elections in the country would be authentic, he set up an election reform commission under Mohammed Uwais, the former Chief Justice of Nigeria. Unfortunately, the far reaching reforms suggested by the commission are yet to be implemented.

    The results of the just concluded elections as declared by INEC show that the candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Muhammadu Buhari, won the presidential election which was contested by a motley crowd of 71 candidates. He polled 15,191, 847 votes (56%), while Atiku Abubakar of the People Democratic Party came second with 11,262,978 votes (41%). The remaining 77 presidential candidates together polled a mere 3% of the votes. The APC retained the control of both the Senate and the House of Representatives. With regard to the results of the gubernatorial elections,  the PDP made an impressive forage into hitherto APC strongholds in Sokoto, Bauchi and Adamawa states and with this, the party now controls more states than it did after the 2015 elections. The APC lost its foothold in the Southeast geographical zone due to the shenanigan of Governor Rochas Okorocha who was bent on foisting his son-in-law, Uche Nwosu on the people of Imo State as his successor.

    Now that the elections are behind us, it is imperative that we critically tease out the essential features that made and marred the elections. There is no doubt that it is a daunting task to conduct elections in a country like Nigeria with perfunctory and in most times malfunctioning infrastructure.  It was obvious that INEC was over- burdened in the conduct of the elections. It was weighed down by many logistical problems which it had to contend with. During the last elections, INEC had to contend with 91 registered parties, 79  presidential candidates,  printing of 421.7 million ballot papers, 13.6 million result forms for the presidential election alone and all these must be securely distributed to all corners of Nigeria.  In addition to these formidable tasks, INEC was faced with 640 court cases while some of their offices in the states were vandalized or gutted by fire by hoodlums sponsored by unscrupulous politicians. INEC was so overwhelmed by the logistical problems that the commission was forced to postpone the presidential election at the last minute.

    The efficiency of INEC was badly affected in the conduct of the last elections because of the numerous assignments the commission had to carry out statutorily. In view of the obvious problems  encountered by INEC in carrying out its assignments, it is now necessary to revisit the recommendations of Uwais Reform Commission which recommended the unbundling of INEC. The commission suggested that some functions being carried out by INEC such as registration of parties, prosecution of electoral offenders and constituency delimitation should given to new agencies to be created. I support these suggestions and in addition I believe that a well planned, non partisan wholesale introduction of electronic voting system would relieve INEC of the use of numerous forms and papers in the conduct of elections. This will certainly  reduce the transportation nightmare faced by INEC in the last elections which made  the INEC chairman and his officials to be virtually sleeping at Abuja airport in their efforts to get the elections materials to their different destinations in the country.

    A repugnant feature of the last elections was the over militarization of the election processes. Any agency no matter how tangential it was to the security of the country was involved in the last election processes. I understand even prison officials were drafted to give security during the elections.  This  is out of sync with what happens in civilized democracies where the security agencies have little or no role to play in election processes.  The security agencies in the last elections did not limit themselves to preserving law and order  but many security personnels intimidated the people and showed blatant partisanship. Voters were scared away and they were fingered in many electoral malpractices. It is alleged that the  electoral  debacle in the Rivers State has the imprint of the partisanship of the security agencies. In future elections, the role of the security agencies should be severely limited  so that our democracy  would not continue to remain stunted.

    The results of the last elections have shown clearly that we do not need 91 registered political parties in this country. In the presidential election contested by 79 parties, the two major parties APC and PDP had 97% of the total votes cast while the remaining 77 parties had 3%. In the Senate, the APC has 65seats, while the PDP has 42 seats. The Young Progressive Party has one. In the House of Representatives, the APC has 223 elected members, the PDP 190 elected members and other parties 10. Only APC and PDP won state gubernatorial elections. It is  therefore a foolery to have 91 registered parties and so we need a new guideline on the registration of political parties for elections. Personally, I  think we do not need more than five political parties in the country. Nigerians should be able to create political niche for themselves in the five political parties. Presently, there are too many frivolous parties in the country and they hamper the efficiency of INEC.  Preponderance of political parties has nothing to do with democratic development of any country.

    Any keen observer of Nigerian political scene, would no doubt be amazed by the resurgence of the PDP in the last elections. After losing the 2015 elections in a big way, the party became more or less leprous. Many well meaning  Nigerians did not  want to be associated with the party, especially after the revelations of the sordid activities perpetrated by its members when the party was in power from 1999 to 2015. Added to this, the party was riddled with major crisis which nearly destroyed it.  The crisis was brought about by the insistence of  former governor of Borno State, the mercurial Ali Modibo Sheriff who claimed to be the chairman of the party despite the preference of the generality of part members for the calm Senator Ahmed Makarfi. The party was saved from this political quicksand by the Supreme Court decision which confirmed Makarfi as the authentic chairman of the party. Nobody thought that the PDP would recover from all these self inflicted woes and battered image  so soon. I believe that the unexpected good outing of the PDP in the gubernatorial elections, is a wake up call for the ruling APC which is only six years old to get focussed and  to intensify its peoples’ oriented programmes. The party cannot continue to shy away from the needed restructuring of the country.  Nigeria needs a change of direction and I believe that the APC, despite its  seeming flaws  is the party Nigeria needs for now to give the needed direction.

     

    • Prof. Lucas writes from Old Bodija, Ibadan.

  • APC will reclaim all ‘stolen’ mandates

    Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Yekini Nabena has said the party will reclaim its stolen mandate in states where the 2019 elections was conducted in fragrant disregard to electoral values.

    Nabena said the rerun elections in Bauchi, Sokoto and Adamawa states, which threw up Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidates were marred by massive rigging, violence and vote-buying.

    In Bauchi, PDP’s Bala Mohammed was declared winner. In Adamawa, Fintiri, of PDP won, while in Sokoto, incumbent Aminu Tambuwal was victorious.

    Nabena, who is APC’s deputy national publicity secretary, believed the rerun elections were not conducted in line with the laid down rules of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    Speaking with reporters in Abuja, Nabena hoped the party would reclaim its mandate through the tribunals.

    REad also: Alleged certificate forgery: It’ll be futile exercise against AbdulRazaq, says APC

    He said: “Following a review of the …re-run in Bauchi, Sokoto and Adamawa states, it is evident massive rigging, thuggery and vote-buying characterised the exercise.

    “It should be noted that while APC have over two third of members of the House of Assembly in Bauchi and a majority in Sokoto…  the re-run was rigged and were conducted without regards to laid down rules …”

    When asked if his party would challenge the outcome in the tribunal, he said APC would reclaim the mandate the people freely gave to it.

    “…the outcome …will be challenged … to reclaim our mandates,” Nabena said.

  • Military action necessary during 2019 elections, says CDS

    The Chief of Defence Staff, (CDS), General Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin has defended the military action taken during the just-concluded 2019 elections.

    Olanisakin noted that if such actions were taken and deployment of the military personnel made, the security situation of the country would have been jeopardized.

    Speaking in Abuja during the orientation programme for Senators-elect and members of the House of Representatives-elect, General Olonisakin noted that the deployment of the army during the election was constitutional.

    He insisted that the deployment helped to save Nigeria from being thrown into a war zone.

    The Chief of Defence Staff spoke on the topic, “Issues on Security and governance.”

    He explained that the security situation in the country during the election process would have been better imagined if the military had not been deployed to perform what he described as their secondary responsibility.

    He solicited for support of the National Assembly for effective funding for the Armed Forces to effectively and efficiently carry out its constitutional duties.

    He also said that the Armed Forces must be funded outside the ritual budgetary allocation adding that if the military must do what it ought to do, it must be funded appropriately.

    The CDS said that the military needs money outside the budgeted because it is not enough to fund the Armed Forces.  The army chief said that the Armed Forces was considering an alternative way of funding.

    The CDS said, “The armed forces of Nigeria derived its authority from p1 s3, 217 of the 1999 constitution which provides for the armed forces of Nigeria comprising of the Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Navy and the Nigeria Airforce.

    “During the just concluded 2019 general elections, the success of the electoral process was almost hampered by the security in some parts of the country. Many crises prone areas were properly maned by security services to ensure that the electorate were secured enough to carry out their civic duties of electing candidates of their choices.

    “There have been various arguments by different positions of political parties and other stakeholders of the legality and otherwise of the military in support of the civic authority in the election process. A critical area of support that was provided and perhaps  not very visible to the public is the deployment of military logistics capabilities. Especially naval and air access to support the movement of materials across the country.

    “I need to reiterate that this deployment is in line with constitutional role of the armed forces of Nigeria as earlier stated. Even in the last general election 2019, the security situation in the country during the election process is better imagined if the military had not been deployed to perform their secondary responsibility thus the effect of security on governance is an important aspect that lawmakers, military personnel and the civil public need to understand in other to make the right decisions.

    “A good understanding of these  dynamics would enable political leaders and public officials to make realistic decisions and enact laws to achieve national security objectives. Over the years, the armed forces of Nigeria has built various capacities to enable it perform our various goals. This capacity development is dependent on a number of factors including training and the availability of adequate platforms which has direct impact in improving the capability of the armed forces of Nigeria in the field and subsequent effect on national security.”

    “On the need to fund the Armed Forces, Olonisakin said, “However, the major challenge of the capacity of the armed forces of Nigeria is the limited budgetary allocations to meet the need of the armed forces of Nigeria.

    “I have often maintained that a well-trained and well equipped and adequately motivated armed forces of Nigeria cannot be funded through budgetary allocation alone.

    “Accordingly, the defence headquarters had proposed that we need to consider alternative funding options for the armed forces of Nigeria in addition to the budgetary allocation. The armed forces of Nigeria will continue to count on the support of the National Assembly to enact appropriate legislations that will support capability development of the armed forces of Nigeria. Security sector reform, appropriate funding and other initiatives through appropriate legislation to enable the armed forces support national security and good governance.

    “As it is often said, the fundamental reason for the existence of government in the provision of robust security proactive enough to enable a conducive environment for the pursuit of sustainable development for the society. Deriving from this is the fact that the truth for the existence of any nation, is rooted in the security sector. National security is unquestionable tied to good governance, and good leadership is the aspiration of every citizen in most countries in the world.

    ” These two fundamentals can hardly be achieved in the midst of both internal and external threats in the nation, most government across the globe always strive to ensure that the state is secure and free from crises that could compromise good governance. There is crucial link between good governance, national security and economic development. If security is not maintained, governance cannot be delivered and therefore it would be a great threat to the unity and integrity of the country. Hence, there would be no meaningful, sustainable development and similarly, security cannot be safeguarded if governance is delivered by an inefficient and disorganized administration.”

  • Ondo APC to Olanusi: behave like a statesman

    The Ondo state chapter of the All Progressives Congress(APC) on Thursday denied the allegation by former Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Alhaji Ali Olanusi that President Muhammadu Buhari lost in Ondo state due to the anti-party activities of the leadership of the ruling party.

    Olanusi at a forum of the Concerned APC leaders in Akure, the state capital on Tuesday accused Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of compromising the election because of the NWC’s decision to endorse the three incumbent Senators as automatic candidates, which prompted his alleged sponsoring of opposition Action Alliance(AA) candidates.

    A statement by APC’s Director of Media and Publicity, Steve Otaloro said the former deputy governor has never been on the same page with the party leadership in the state, stressing that he is not competent to comment on the affairs of the party in the state.

    Besides, the party faulted the claim that the governor allegedly diverted the fund disbursed to Ondo state by the national leadership of the party for the 2019 general election and financed AA candidates in the state.

    It said” With these statements, Olanusi’s group had brought to fore their secret apathy against Akeredolu who refused to do their biddings. We should be reminded that Olanusi claimed huge amount from the present APC-led government in Ondo State to offset his accumulated salary arrears over his removal from office by the previous administration.

    Read Also: ‘How Buhari lost in Ondo’

    “He refused to acknowledge the governor’s quick response to his plight, rather, he countered the effort with contempt. When he demanded for more money and was denied, he became dissatisfied and turned himself into a critic of the APC’s government,he claimed to be its Board of Trustees (BoT) member at the national level.

    ” We have it on record that he is planning ahead of the 2020 to present an unpopular governorship candidate for election in the state,but he doesn’t have to heat up the polity over such clandestine moves that will die on arrival”

    The statement emphasised that the party leadership in the state would not succumb to the group’s cheap blackmail and lies flying around.

    It said “We are advising Olanusi and his group to desist from constituting themselves as enemies of the party they claimed to belong.The former deputy governor particularly should behave as a true statesman and member, APC’s Trustee.

  • Lagos Assembly members-elect to receive Certificates of Return Friday– INEC

    The Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ) Lagos State says it will present Certificates of Return on Friday to the 40 members-elect of the Lagos State House of Assembly.

    The INEC Public Relations Officer(PRO), Mr Femi Akinbiyi disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday in Lagos.

    “The event will take place at the INEC Lagos office Sabo Yaba at 10 a. m.

    “The members were elected among the 640 candidates that contested the March 9th House of Assembly elections,” Akinbiyi said.

    Read Also: Wike ahead as INEC continues collation in Rivers

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 40 seats in the Assembly were won by candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the March 9 Governorship and State Houses of Assembly Elections.

    INEC had on March 29 presented Certificates of Return to the Lagos State Governor-elect, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat at the commission’s office in Sabo, Yaba.

  • The return of PDP

    Sir: The performances of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the just concluded presidential and gubernatorial polls must have surprised many Nigerians. With the defeat and the attendant shock or confusion that trailed the party after its defeat in 2015, many Nigerians had thought the party would cease to exist. These assumptions were proved wrong as the party which was gasping for oxygen finally breathed a fresh air in the 2019 general electiona.

    In the build-up to the 2015 general elections, the party was enmeshed in zoning crises. The position of president which was supposed to be zoned or rotated to the North was denied by the incumbent president, Goodluck Jonathan. This action led to the mass exodus of the party’s members to the new APC. Other factors that contributed to the party’s defeat were corruption and insecurity. Nigerians were fed up with worsening insecurity in the Northeast states and other parts of the country. The menace of Boko Haram and the escalation of bombings across the country indicated total leadership failures. These negative indices shaped the 2015 election and aided APC to power.

    The PDP also suffered post -election crises. The former acting chairman, Ahmed Makarfi, fought a fiece battle with his arch-rival, Modu Sheriff over the control of the party. At last, through the court, Makarfi was recognized as legitimate acting chairman of the party. The party later succeeded in conducting a rancour-free convention where new leaders emerged. Now, that is history.

    The questions begging for answers are how the party which was silently dying got a new life? What magic wands did the party employ to put its house in order?

    The APC since the time it came on board has been making political blunders. Firstly, the corruption it accused PDP of entrenching has also been perpetuated under its watch. The Babachir Lawal’s grass-cutting saga, the reinstatement of former chairman of the President Task Force on Pension Reforms, Abdulrashid Maina etc. remains fresh in the mind of Nigerians.

    The APC-led government was also accused of selective war against corruption. The general insecurity bedevilling the country has refused to go. Boko Haram challenges which were limited to Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states have spread to middle belt and Northwest states. The herdsmen versus farmers skirmishes has become the order of the day. In Zamfara State, cattle rustlers have been having a field day. Hardly a day passes without reported cases of killings. Many villages have been sacked by these bandists.

    Under APC, many states civil servants are owed salaries for months. The states governors have failed to effect the necessary changes they were voted for. No wonder, APC lost Bauchi, Sokoto and Adamawa states. The gradual return of PDP has shown that political culture has changed.

    Nigerians are now politically wise. They are ready to vote out any non-performing government at any time.

     

    • Ibrahim Mustapha,

    Pambegua, Kaduna State.

  • Fintiri’s election signifies new dawn in Adamawa, says Atiku

    The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar has said that the election of Mr Ahmadu Fintiri as governor of Adamawa State is a dawn of a glorious new era for the state.

    The former Vice President expressed delight that the PDP came victorious in the governorship election in his home state, and that the decision of the vast majority of Nigerians to vote for the PDP signified that the party is truly a party of the people.

    In a statement Friday by his media adviser, Paul Ibe, Atiku said, “My home state of Adamawa has chosen the PDP to lead them. I am truly proud of this and let me assure you that you have chosen a leader with the zeal and determination to put Adamawa on the best path.

    Read Also: Atiku, PDP get tribunal’s nod to serve Buhari through APC

    “You have chosen a leader who appreciates Adamawa’s diversity and who will run an inclusive government for the betterment of all”.

    He congratulated governor-elect on his resounding victory at the polls, adding that Fintiri won the poll in spite of the various antics of the ruling party to frustrate the wishes of the people in the state.

    “Our people have stood with Governor-Elect Fintiri in the course of this election with an abiding commitment never to allow the power that be to rob them of their votes.

    “I congratulate you on your election, while I also hail our people for making the right decision to choose you as leader at this point in time. I am confident that the hope reposed in you is well placed and that your tenure will launch our state to greater heights”.

  • INEC plans issuing certificates of return to PDP candidates in Rivers, says APC

    The campaign organisation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) IN Rivers state have alleged that even before the conclusion of collation of results for the governorship and state house of Assembly election, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) may have concluded plans to hand over victory to the People’s Democratic Party in the state.

    Director of Strategic Communication of the campaign, Prince Tonye Princewill said information available to them indicate that the Commission has already prepared certificates of return for all PDP candidates in preparation to formally declaring them winners.

    Copies of the unsigned certificates allegedly prepared by the commission bearing the names of PDP candidates were dated March 14, 2019 and are supposedly issued for the outcome of an election held on the 9th of March 2019.

    The certificates bearing the name of the INEC National Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu and are for 20 state constituencies across the state.

    Princewill said; “Even before the conclusion of the Governorship and State House of Assembly elections which it suspended in Rivers State, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, had declared the candidates of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, winners.

    “The Commission has also prepared their Certificates of Return, including that of Governor Nyesom Wike. The certificates, which have the name of the National Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, are reportedly in the custody of the Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, Obo Effanga, who was the mastermind behind the certificates-before-election-results deal with PDP.

    “Though the electoral umpire had suspended the Rivers’ elections via a statement on March 10, 2019, the certificates bear dates later than the April 15 date INEC said collated results would be declared. In its latest press statement on the election saga in Rivers State, INEC gave April 19 as the date that certificates of return will be issued to winners.

    Read Also: Former Sports Minister Adedoja, dumps PDP for APC

    “The recent revelations that INEC had prepared Return Certificates in favour of some Candidates in the purportedly suspended Governorship and House of Assembly Elections in Rivers State which took place on the 9th of March, 2019, came to few political watchers, participants and activists as a surprise given the many ‘Electoral Faux pas’ and open bias shown by INEC in Rivers State electoral matters.

    “To others, especially optimal optimists who still believed that INEC at a point in time, may perhaps carry out its duties impartially and independently like its name suggests, the revelations totally destroyed the slim hopes that INEC in Rivers State would do the right thing and allow the people of Rivers State to choose those they want to govern their affairs in the Brick House and House of Assembly.

    “It should be recalled that INEC conducted the Gubernatorial and House of Assembly elections in the entire country on the 9th of March, 2019, Rivers State inclusive. It should also be recalled that whilst results were collated, declared and announced at seven (7) ward Collation Centers in Rivers State in clear violation of extant Electoral laws and totally ultra vires its powers under the Electoral Act (2010) as amended, purported to suspend an electoral process on spurious and unfounded allegations.

    “What is particularly noteworthy is the fact that it was ONLY IN RIVERS STATE that this kind of electoral faux pas took place in Nigeria and furthermore, that the purported suspension only took place when INEC as well as observers and participants in the elections had seen that the Governorship Candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Engr. Biokpomabo Festus Awara, had taken a clear and seemingly unassailable lead over the obviously preferred candidate of INEC in Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Ezebunwo Wike, current and outgoing Governor of Rivers State.

    “What is most curious and begging for answers however, is that while INEC purportedly ‘suspended’ the Elections in Rivers State, it nonetheless secretly and in a manner totally devoid of even the slightest pretences of neutrality, went ahead to prepare in anticipation of the results it intended to declare, ‘Certificates of Return’ dated 14th of March, 2019.

    “This was a time when the process was purportedly suspended by the imperial INEC in Rivers State led by the famous/infamous Obo Effanga, the State REC who could not conclude a bye election held in Phalga Constituency 3, again when he saw clearly that the PDP candidate was being trounced by the APC candidate.

    “INEC had meanwhile severally announced plans for resumption of the final processes of the election in Rivers State but had jumpstarted that process by preparing in advance the said Certificates of Return in favour of mostly PDP candidates it intends to announce as returned.

    “Why then one must ask, is INEC taking Rivers People for a ride

  • Gov. Bello commends corps members’ participation in election

    Niger State Governor, Alh. Abubakar Sani Bello has commended all youth corps members across the country that participated in the last general elections.

    Bello gave the commendation at the swearing-in of batch ‘A’ National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, at the Paikoro Orientation campground.

    Bello, who was represented by the state commissioner for Water Resources, Maman Musa Bosso told the corps members, ” your non-partisanship in the electoral process contributed to the successes recorded in the elections.”

    The governor also assured the youth corps members of adequate security throughout their one year stay in places of their primary assignment.

    Read Also: Bello lauds military support to internal security

    ” We pride ourselves as being the most peaceful state enjoying relative peace and security in the country.”

    Bello reiterated the commitment of his administration to partner the State NYSC management, and the security agencies to ensure safety and improve welfare as all times.

    Earlier, the state Co-Ordinator of the NYSC, Mrs. Funmilayo Ajayi said a total of 2000 corps members were posted to Niger state, out of which, 1997 have already registered.

    She urged the state governor to ensure the completion of the permanent Orientation camp, Again noted, ” the completion of the NYSC Orientation camp is an issue of great concern to NYSC.”

  • Rivers: AAC guber candidate protest alteration of results in Rivers

    Ahead of the planned resumption of collation of results in Rivers state, the Governorship candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) , Engr. Biokpomabo Awara has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of doctoring the governorship and state House of Assembly election in Akuku-Toru local government area of Rivers state in favour of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

    Awara said in a petition addressed to the Chairman of INEC, dated 22nd March, 2019 in the originally declared result from the polling units, ward and local government collation centre, the AAC clearly won the election in the local government with a large margin.

    Awara objected to what he called alteration of results and outright concoction of results going on in the state and plans to officially announce the concocted results as official results.

    The letter made available to The Nation in Abuja reads “may we by this letter establish and convey our objection to the alteration, and outright concoction of results, and the threat to announce the same as officially declared results from the 9th of March, 2019, Governorship and House of Assembly Election in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area, Rivers State.

    Read Also: Rivers: Lulu-Briggs wants Governorship, Assembly polls cancelled

    “Sir, despite the fear of violence sequel to the horror that characterized the Presidential Election that was cancelled, the people came out in hordes to vote, and the election was as successful as it could possibly be.

    “For the first time in a long while, Akuku-Toru LGA experienced a peaceful election. At the end of the election, the results were counted and declared at the various units, wards and eventually collated at the LGA Collation Centre, and subsequently declared by the LGA Returning Officer. The process was recorded and broadcast LIVE at the Collation Centre and reported widely on Social Media.

    “In the originally collated and declared Governorship election result from Akuku-Toru, the AAC scored 57,856 votes while the PDP scored 5,953. The vote difference between the AAC and the PDP was 51,903.

    “The results as declared was accordingly taken to the Rivers State INEC Office and submitted by the Returning Officer.

    “Sir, we have credible reason to believe that the election results from Akuku-Toru LGA has been unilaterally altered by the Returning Officer, Dr Somiari Ikiroma-Owiye who we were reliably informed was invited by senior officials of INEC Rivers State on the 11th of March, 2019, and in cooperation with the PDP strategically altered the results – reducing the votes in favour of the AAC to less than 37,000 and inflating the votes in favour of the PDP in excess of 15,000.

    “Sadly, this was alleged to have been perpetrated in the privacy of his collusion with elements from the PDP and most disappointingly, INEC Rivers State without the presence of our Party agents.

    “We are by this Petition urging you to use your good office to investigate the substance of our fears and institute criminal charges against Dr Somiari Ikiroma-Owiye, and prevent the eventuation of this unacceptable electoral fraud.

    “Also, we urge the INEC to only honour and give effect to the Governorship result that was appropriately collated and declared on the 10th of March, 2019 at the Collation Centre and broadcast LIVE at the Collation Centre and reported widely on social media. Nothing short of this can meet the test of credibility, and be acceptable to us.”