Amaechi Okonkwo – Port Harcourt
A coalition of five political parties in Rivers on Wednesday accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of plotting to rig the Match 18, 2023 governorship and state house of assembly elections in the state.
Addressing a press conference in Port Harcourt the governorship candidates of the All Progressives Congress(APC), Tonye Cole, National Rescue Movement(NRM), Amb. Sobomabo Jackrich; Action Alliance(AA), Dr Dawari George; Accord, Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs and African Democratic Congress(ADC), Chief Tonte Ibraye the parties said that they had uncovered a well-orchestrated plot by certain top officials of INEC in Rivers State to compromise the elections come Saturday.
They alleged that the plot which was in connivance with officials of Rivers State Government was with the intent to manipulate the election in favour of PDP candidates in the respective elections.
Speaking on behalf of the parties, the governorship candidate of the APC, Tonye Cole said; “We are reliably informed of the recent plots by the Governor of Rivers State to use the instrumentality of the 23 Local Government Area Council Secretariats serving as LGA Collation Centres by the INEC to rig and manipulate the results of March 18, 2023, Governorship and State House of Assembly Elections in the state.
“That Governor Wike has instructed all LGA Executive Chairmen, as the chief security officers of their respective Local Government Areas, to carry out what he calls ‘Operation No Mercy’ on every other party Agent. The Council Chairmen are to ensure those agents representing their parties’ interests do not have access to the collation centres.
“The PDP Government of Rivers State has also assured INEC officials of their safety provided they comply with the PDP Agents to manipulate the process before taking it out to the state collation centre.”
The parties, therefore, called on INEC and every relevant authority should stop all government officials from accessing the collation centres.
“That in accordance with Section 43(1) of the Electoral Act 2022 prohibiting Government officials from acting or serving as agents to political parties at elections, INEC and relevant security authorities should restrict the movement of all Rivers State Government officials beginning with Governor Wike down to the Chairmen of the Councils. INEC should ensure that all categories of officials prohibited by the Electoral Act stay away from the collation centres as their presence will compromise the process.
“Only persons who are party agents according to law and designated INEC officials should have access to the collation centres at the Ward, LGA and State levels.
“That on no account should Governor Wike be exempt from the restrictions of access to collation centres in accordance with the law. Moreover, his presence at the Obio/Akpor council collation centre in the last and previous elections compromised the process and cast doubts on the credibility and ability of INEC to conduct free, fair, and credible elections in the state.”
They added that; “we want peaceful, free, fair and credible elections in the State where the will of the people will not be subverted as we saw during the Presidential and National Assembly elections.
“We, as well as Nigerians, trust that INEC will do the right thing in this election and not make themselves willing tools and enemies of the state by conniving with those with ulterior motives to compromise the process.
“We believe, hold and canvas the view that credible elections are possible in Rivers State when the Resident Electoral Commissioner takes full charge of the process in accordance with the law. We have no doubt that we have provided sufficient grounds in this Press Conference for the Resident Electoral Commissioner to act in a manner that delivers on your constitutional mandate.
“We, therefore, call on the President, Muhammadu Buhari, to direct security agencies to intensify surveillance on INEC and the Central Bank of Nigeria to safeguard the electoral process and the forthcoming elections in Rivers State. Foreign missions and International Elections Observers must take a deep interest in the elections in Rivers state to avert any danger and subversion of the will of the majority of Rivers people and the electorate here.”
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