Wike alleges killing of two PDP agents in Ogoni by security agents
*Bomb blasts in Kalabari, poll shifted;
*Shootout in Khana, Etche LGAs.
Bisi Olaniyi
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has alleged that two agents of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were shot dead in Bodo-Ogoni in Gokana Local Government Area of the state, by security agents.
The mobile line of the Rivers Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Nnamdi Omoni, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), was not available for reaction to the allegation.
There were also bomb blasts in Abonnema-Kalabari, the headquarters of Akuku-Toru LGA of the state, with elections in the area postponed till Sunday.
Hoodlums equally engaged security personnel in heavy shootout in Bori, the traditional headquarters of Ogoniland and the seat of Khana LGA of the state and other parts of the LGA, with gunshots also recorded in Etche LGA.
Gunshots by thugs in police uniform in Ogoni
Bisi Olaniyi
There were sporadic gunshots this afternoon by thugs in police uniform in Bodo-Ogoni, the hometown of the Secretary to the Rivers State Government (SSG), Chief Kenneth Kobani, in Gokana Local Government Area of the state.
The shooting took place at St. Pius College of the crude oil and gas-rich Bodo, when accreditation and voting were about to commence.
The voters and officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) scampered for safety when the security agents were overwhelmed.
PDP, APC supporters clash at Peterside’s community
Supporters of the People Democratic Party, PDP, and the All Progressives Congress, APC, have clashed at Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area, the LGA of the Director General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency NIMASSA, Dr. Dakuku Peterside.
At least, three youths, believed to be members of the APC have been injured. As at the time of this update, the cause of the free for all is unknown, but it may not be unrelated to the issues of intimidation.
When Contacted Peterside said, “Opobo/Nkoro is peace generally now. We observed that they imported some people from outside the LGA.”
“Election for one unit was hijacked by some boys, but the security agencies have recovered it. That materials have arrived and it is going orderly for now.”
Result sheet not available in Amaechi’s ward
There is confusion in the polling unit of the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi over the whereabouts of the result sheet for the rerun election.
Accreditation was initially delayed for hours due to claims by the polling officers that they did not have the result sheet and was awaiting one from their superior officer.
However, when the senior officer showed up, he said he had earlier signed one allocated to the ward in Unit 14 in Ubima, Ikwerre Local Government area.
In the confusion that arose over the claims and counter claims, voters who had lined up for long attempted to assault the polling officers but peace was restored by security officers.
The Minister along with other voters were still waiting for the exercise to commence at the time of this report
GOC denies Rivers PDP chairman’s alarm on killing, mass arrest in Ogoni
Bisi Olaniyi
The General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the newly-created 6 Division of the Nigerian Army in Port Harcourt, Maj.-Gen. Kasimu Abdulkarim, has described as false, the alarm raised by the Rivers State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Felix Obuah, on the alleged killing and mass arrest of members of the party by soldiers in Tai-Ogoni and Gokana-Ogoni Local Government Areas of the state.
Maj.-Gen. Abdulkarim, in a telephone interview at 11:34 a.m. admonished all right-thinking Rivers people and other stakeholders to ignore the lies of Obuah and other leaders of the PDP.
The GOC said: “It (Obuah’s allegation) is not true. Let them not create conflict within a conflict. Nobody should raise any alarm. I have just returned to the office in Port Harcourt, from monitoring the elections, which have been peaceful and the voters are orderly.
“I was with the Deputy Inspector-General of Police (Operations), Habila Joshak, when the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, called him to know the security situation on the ground and he (DIG) told IGP that everywhere was very calm and the electorate exercising their franchise. I do not know why they will cry wolf, where there is none.”
Rivers PDP chairman, at 10:38 a.m. today, raised the alarm on the killing and mass arrest of members of the ruling party in Ogoniland by soldiers.
Obuah said: “PDP in Rivers State condemns Nigerian Army’s arrest and killing of members of PDP in Tai and Gokana LGAs. The soldiers arrested over 200 PDP members in Tai LGA, 12 innocent PDP members were shot and one member of the party was killed in Tai LGA.
“Barako community in Gokana LGA was also invaded by soldiers, scores of PDP members were arrested.”
END.
Election: Voting commences
Voting has commenced in Rivers re-run legislative election taking place in eight Local Government Areas.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that accreditation and voting began at 8.30am in Wards 10 and 16 of Port Harcourt City Local Government Area.
At Ward 16, unit 1, a voter, Mr Christian Aniakor, said the process was peaceful, cordial and smooth.
“ I voted at 8.35 am. It was a peaceful exercise and I am impressed with the security arrangement, early arrival of election materials.
“ This has indeed, reduced the pre-election tension which made it look as if it will be bloody,” he said.
Mr Jeffrey Chuku, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) agent at the Ward, said he was impressed with the conduct of the election in the area.
“ We are satisfied with the conduct of the election in the ward. It has been peaceful so far,” he said.
M Chibuike Maraihe, All Progressives Congress (APC) agent at the ward said, the election began early and had been peaceful.
“ I am impressed with the conduct of the election in the ward. The exercise has been free and fair here and as you can see, there is heavy security presence in the ward,” he said.
At Ward 10, Unit 12, Mr Edmund, Naaku, the agent of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), said though voter turn-out had not been much, voting commenced at 8.55am.
“ My take is that the exercise here has been peaceful. We have not recorded much voter turn-out. I am optimistic people will come to vote later in the day,” he said.
NAN also reports that the card reader machine was used to accredit voters while the incident form was used in units where the card reader did not function.
INEC Presiding Officers in the wards said the election had been peaceful and smooth.
In Akuku-Toru Local government Area, materials arrived late in the five units where election will hold.
NAN reports that INEC officials had commenced distribution of materials to the affected units while voter turn-out was impressive. (NAN)
No elections in many parts of Obio/Akpor
Clarice Azuatalam
The rerun election is not taking place in many areas of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.
In Elelenwo and Eneka areas, no election was seen going on.
An INEC source said that voting in the LGA had already been concluded in the March 19 rerun election and their representatives for state and house of representatives have been sworn into office.
Snatching of electoral materials: INEC cancels election unit
Bisi Olaniyi,
The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Rivers State, Aniedi Ikoiwak, has announced the cancellation of the rerun in Unit 3, Ward 9 of Ogu, the headquarters of Ogu/Bolo Local Government Area of the state, over snatching of electoral materials by hoodlums.
Ogu borders Ogoniland and Okrika, the headquarters of Okrika LGA of the state, where Dame Patience, the wife of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan and a former militant leader, Ateke Tom, hail from.
PDP chairman raises the alarm on alleged arrest, killing of members by soldiers
-Army yet to respond
Bisi Olaniyi,
Rivers State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Felix Obuah, has raised an alarm on the arrest and killing of many members of the party by soldiers in Tai-Ogoni and Gokana-Ogoni Local Government Areas of the state
Obuah said: “PDP in Rivers State condemns Nigerian Army’s arrest and killing of members of PDP in Tai and Gokana LGAs. The soldiers arrested over 200 PDP members in Tai LGA, 12 innocent PDP members were shot and one member of the party was killed in Tai LGA.
“Barako community in Gokana LGA was also invaded by soldiers, scores of PDP members were arrested.”
The Spokesman of the newly-created 6 Division of the Nigerian Army in Port Harcourt, Col. Timothy Antigha, was immediately contacted to react to the allegations, but he was yet to do so at the time of this report.
Govt. never planned to use drones to monitor rerun elections-Commissioner
The Rivers Commissioner for Information, Dr Austin Tam-George, has described as untrue comments in some quarters that the state government plans to deploy drones to monitor the rerun elections in the state.
He told Newsmen in Okrika on Saturday that the Nyesom Wike-led government was deeply interested in ensuring free, peaceful and credible legislative rerun elections.
“That is a lie, we never contemplate using drones to monitor the elections, we are interested in following, casting our votes and ensuring they count,’’ he said.
He said that the People Democratic Party had directed its members to be peaceful but vigilante.
“We are opposed to violence and electoral criminality, we will only use peace and legitimate means to ensure that nothing illegal happens,’’ he said.(NAN)
Turnout impressive, election peaceful in Bera, Gokana LGA
The Rivers legislative rerun election has commenced peacefully in the state with a massive turnout of voters in Gokana Local Government Area of the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the exercise in being conducted in the three Senatorial districts for senatorial seats.
The rerun is also held in eight Federal Constituencies for the House of Representatives seats and 10 State Constituencies for state assembly seats.
In Bera Ward 16, Gokana LGA, the turnout was early and massive while the election materials arrived at 8.30 a.m.
NAN also reports that card readers are working well in all the 16 polling units of Bera Ward 16 in local government area visited.
The accreditation and voting started simultaneously at exactly 9.11a.m in all the units of Bera Ward 16.
NAN further reports that all the polling units in the local government were organised in the Community Secondary School, Bera.
The agency reports that voters were coordinated but under the heavy presence of the security operatives.
All Progressives Congress (APC) and All Progressives Grand Alliance agents were seen in each of polling units in the Ward 16. (NAN)
Long day expected, as electoral materials leave rack centre in Ogoni late
Bisi Olaniyi reports: Long day is expected today’s (Saturday) during the legislative rerun across the three senatorial districts of Rivers State, as electoral materials are just leaving (at 9.40 a.m.) the rack centre in Ogale-Ogoni in Eleme Local Government Area of the state.
The security situation in Port Harcourt, the Rivers state capital, and Ogoniland is commendable, with heavy deployment of soldiers, policemen, operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) and other security agents, in order to ensure free, fair, peaceful and credible elections in the 1,840 polling units in all the 23 LGAs of the hitherto volatile Niger Delta state.
