By Ernest Chinwo, Segun James and Shola Oyeyipo in Port Harcourt
The Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) has released the results of nine state constituencies
and one federal constituency in which rerun elections were held in
Nigeria’s oil hub, Rivers State, on Saturday, but the commission was
forced to suspend the electoral process in all other constituencies in
the state where results were not announced due to the widespread
violence that marred the elections.
However, based on the results released
yesterday, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) consolidated its control
of the state by emerging victorious in eight of the nine state
constituencies and one federal constituency seat, while the ruling All
Progressives Congress (APC) won one state constituency seat.
But as results were announced, the
state continued its descent to anarchy as the violent battle for control
of the state was exacerbated by the exchange of gunfire between
security men in the convoys of the Director General of Nigerian Maritime
Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside, and
the Chief of Staff to the Rivers State governor, Mr. Emma Woke, in Port
Harcourt yesterday, resulting in the death of Woke’s personal assistant.
Sporadic shooting was also reported at the Abonema area in Akuku Toru
Council, few kilometers to Port Harcourt, the state capital.
This came as Governor Nyesom Wike and
the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, squared off against
each other at the Mile 1 Diobu police station over a collation officer,
Mrs. Ekwi Adebisa, who was purportedly abducted Saturday night by the
former governor in company of soldiers.
Confirming the outcome of the rerun
polls, the Director of Voter Education Publicity of INEC, Mr. Oluwole
Osaze-Uzzi, informed THISDAY that the results were released in nine
state constituencies and one federal constituency in the state.
He said PDP won in eight of the state constituencies, while APC won one seat.
PDP, he said, also won one federal
constituency but did not give the names of the state or federal
constituencies in which results were declared.
Osaze-Uzzi also revealed that the
release of further results were suspended due to reports of violence,
attacks and even the deaths of INEC officials and ad hoc personnel in
the state.
He said all INEC personnel were relocated to Abuja yesterday due to the escalation of violence in Rivers State.
Also in a statement yesterday, he said
INEC conducted the polls in Rivers State pursuant to the orders of the
Court of Appeal, but “rather unfortunately, some of these elections
witnessed the disruption of the process, including the barricading of
some of the INEC local government offices and Registration Area Centres
(RACs) used for the distribution of electoral materials which led to the
late commencement of the exercise in some places and consequently, its
smooth take off.
“Of more serious concern was the level
of threats, violence and intimidation of election officials and voters
by well armed thugs and miscreants allegedly acting on behalf of some
politicians, which marred the elections in some areas.
“There were reports of numerous
attacks resulting in fatalities, kidnappings, ballot snatching,
diversion of officials and materials, amongst others, which necessitated
its suspension in 8 local government areas.
“Regrettably, such deviant behaviour
has continued today (yesterday). Several permanent and ad hoc staff
engaged by the commission have been attacked, again resulting in
fatalities, while some have been forcibly abducted and taken to unknown
destinations.
“Under such difficult circumstances,
the Returning Officers were only able to collate and declare results in
one federal and nine state constituencies where the disruption and
malpractices were not so widespread.
“Having reviewed the situation, the
commission is compelled to suspend all further action concerning the
exercise in all the other constituencies in the state pending the
receipt of a comprehensive report from its field officials and monitors.
“For the avoidance of doubt, it should
be noted that the suspension does not affect the constituencies where
the exercise has been completed and the results declared by the
Returning Officers,” he said.
However, unconfirmed results obtained
by THISDAY from the various collation centres for 11 state
constituencies showed that PDP won 10 constituencies, namely: Akukutoru I
(Major Jack), Omuma (Kelechi Wogu), Degema (Farah Dagogo), Ahoada East
II (Edison Ehie), Ahoada East I (Martins Manna), Emohua (Sam Ogeh),
Akukutoru II (Tonye Alalibo), Obio/Akpor I (Martin Amaewhule),
Obio/Akpor II (Michael Chindah), Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni (Christopher
Ahiakwor).
The candidate of the APC won in the
Opobo/Nkoro state constituency, while Betty Apiafi of the PDP won the
Abua Odua/Ahoada East Constituency to the Federal House of
Representatives.
Speaking on the shootout between the
security detail attached to Woke and Peterside, which occurred yesterday
evening at the UTC junction, Azikiwe Road, Port Harcourt, Wike told
journalists that Peterside, who was the candidate of the All
Progressives Congress (APC) in the last governorship election in the
state, had gone to INEC Registration Area Centre (RAC) in Isiokpo,
headquarters of Ikwerre Local Government Area and allegedly snatched the
election result sheets for the council.
According to Wike, Peterside, who was
with his running mate, Honourable Asita and the APC state chairman, Dr.
Davies Ikanya, were then pursued by Woke, who was the PDP agent for
Ikwerre.
“The shooting happened because they were chasing them (Peterside and Asita) from Isiokpo,” Wike said.
He said when the security detail of
Peterside saw that the PDP agent was still following them as they got to
the junction leading to his (Peterside’s residence, they opened fire
leading to the death of Woke’s aide.
But in his own account of the
incident, Peterside said it was an attack on his life, adding that he
was attacked by gunmen in two sports utility vehicles when he was on his
way home from the Port Harcourt International Airport.
Before the shootout, however, Wike and
Amaechi, squared off against each other at the Mile 1, Diobu police
station in the state capital over a collation officer, Mrs. Adebisa, who
was allegedly abducted by the minister, Saturday night.
The development, which led to the
suspension of collation of results in the constituency, led to a
standoff between the leaders of the PDP and APC yesterday.
Adebisa was allegedly taken to Novotel
Hotel where the duo of Amaechi and Peterside and the acting Managing
Director of NDDC, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, were lodged and results
doctored.
The electoral officer was said to have been placed in protective custody by Amaechi and Dakuku.
However, when PDP leaders including
Wike got wind of the fact that she had been placed in protective custody
at the Mile 1 police station, they rushed to the station seeking an
explanation.
Wike later alleged that Adebisa is the
girlfriend of the APC candidate for the Port Harcourt Federal
Constituency who framed her abduction alongside other APC leaders. He
went further to claim that she had compromised the results placed in her
care in favour of the APC.
When Wike and some other PDP leaders
stormed the station, more than 400 soldiers arrived the station with
Amaechi, Peterside and Semenitari and directed that Adebisa be released
to them.
The former governor, Peterside,
Semenitari and the AIG Zone 6, Calabar, Mr. Baba Adisa Bolanta, were
said to have eventually left with her.
But reacting to the report, the
Special Adviser (Media) to the acting Managing Director/Chief Executive
Officer of NDDC, Bekee Anyalewechi said there was no iota of truth in
the story that was peddled by the PDP-led Rivers State Government.
“We have received, with bemusement,
the attempt by the Rivers State Government and its image managers to
retell the facts of the incident of Sunday, March 20 which occurred at
the Mile 1 Police Divisional headquarters in Port Harcourt when Rivers
State governor, Ezebunwo Wike, in the company of a retinue of aides,
invaded the police station and held the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) collation officer for Port Harcourt Ward 10, Mrs. Ekwi
Adebisa, hostage.
“Whereas it is not in our style to
join issues with any tier of government, it is imperative that we state
the facts because of the need to safeguard our electoral process and
strengthen the confidence of our people in their leaders.
“Mrs. Ekwi Adebisa, the Port Harcourt
City Ward 10 Collation Officer, for the March 19 rerun legislative
election in Rivers State, was moved by force to the police station. The
result she had collated was separated from her.
“While
“As a leader in APC, Mrs. Ibim
Semenitari, acting Managing Director, Niger Delta Development Commission
(NDDC), being in attendance at the meeting, was among those delegated
to go and see what the actual development was.
“When Semenitari and others arrived
the police facility, they confirmed the report. In conclusion, we state
therefore, that it was shocking to read a statement issued by Mr. Simeon
