Several days after elections in Rivers State, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has alleged that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in collusion with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was still compiling results in the state.
The state APC Governorship candidate in the April 11 election, Dr Dakuku Peterside, made the disclosure while featuring on an AIT programme. He alleged that the PDP in Rivers State, in collaboration with INEC had been busy thumb-printing ballot papers and “doctoring” result sheets of all the local government areas to correspond with the figures they allegedly allocated to the PDP and others during the elections of March 28, and April 11.
He further said that the PDP had camped INEC presiding officers, who conducted the disputed elections in the various hotels and sundry places, as part of their preparations for the Election Petition Tribunal.
According to him, “INEC had directed both its personnel and ad hoc staff to report at the state headquarters to doctor the figures and cover their tracks.
According to him, “INEC had directed both its personnel and ad hoc staff to report at the state headquarters to doctor the figures and cover their tracks.
“The election umpire has thrown open its doors for the PDP and its agents to also thumbprint some of the ballot papers in the safety of its premises, after a tip-off led the police to CRKR, in the Elekahia area of Port Harcourt, believed to be owned by a PDP chieftain, where presiding officers, who conducted elections in Khana Local Government Area, were camped to doctor results on Wednesday, April 22, 2015.
“Khana, one out of the four Ogoni local government areas, has significant population and was one of the worst-hit councils, where massive thumb printing and other electoral irregularities took place during the general elections of March 28 and April 11, 2015.
“Recall that the All Progressives Congress, APC had petitioned INEC over the subject matter without any steps taken by either security agencies or INEC to investigate the complaints and stop the travesty going on in Rivers State. Regrettably, even the events of the night of Wednesday 22, were given a short shrift by the police whose conduct may indeed lay credence to the claims that they have been completely compromised.
“The APC is appalled by these actions and wishes to again reiterate its call for INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, to take more than a passing interest in events in Rivers State and as a matter of urgency retrieve all sensitive election materials in the state.
“We trust that he will appreciate our concern and kindly oblige us for the sake of the millions of Rivers people who stand to be disenfranchised if something isn’t done urgently,” he said.
Source: The Street Journal
