PDP, Reps demand probe
FURIOUS and defiant, Governor Nyesom Wike yesterday dared anyone to nullify the victories of the Peoples Democracy (PDP) already announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Wike who spoke at Rivers Peoples Stakeholders meeting in Port Harcourt advised the All Progressives Congress (APC) to put behind, its woeful loss in the rerun polls and prepare for the 2019 general election, instead of creating crisis for the state.
Governor Wike noted that having been declared winners of the election in their respective constituencies by INEC, the electoral body had no choice than to issue certificate of returns to the PDP candidates.
Wike who spoke intermittently in Pidgin English said: “Leave this one. They have declared. Having declared them, you have no choice. You must give them their certificates. And I dare anybody who says having declared them; you will not give them certificates. Wait. The trouble, they want they will get it. I am not afraid. What is fear? What has God not done for me? There are those that are born today and die the following day. Some die within six months, one year. We must be grateful that we have survived up till this point. So what am I afraid of? Me? You are fighting me, intimidating me? Please, go and sit down. I have not seen that person that will intimidate me.”
He said the rerun election has proved that the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi is not on ground in the state.
Also speaking with journalists at the Government House, Wike said the plot by the opposition party to impeach him has died a natural death.
“Part of the rigging was to impeach me. Your aim was to impeach me the governor. And, so, you came with all force, so that you will grab the 22 seats in the Assembly and impeach me. Who has failed now? The impeachment has died. It has died a natural death.
The polls also reverberated loudly yesterday in Abuja, as the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) demanded an investigation.
Addressing newsmen, national chairman of the PDP, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff alleged that INEC “yielded to the pressure and instruction of a highly placed politician in Rivers State to suspend the much-awaited declaration of final results and return of the winners, who are already well known to the electorate.”
Also, the PDP Caucus in the House of Representatives flayed INEC for withholding part of the results, describing the Commission’s action as “illegal and strange.”
Speaking at a press briefing, leader of the Caucus, Leo Ogor, said it was “embarrassing” that contrary to the provisions of the Electoral Act and the constitution, INEC having not declared the elections inconclusive even as results had been declared at various polling units, still went ahead to suspend the elections.
“What is happening in Rivers State is quite alien to the Electoral Act and the constitution. The unfortunate aspect of which you are aware is that today, election has been concluded, results from various units and polling booths have been declared at the polling centres but rather than declare the whole results, INEC has refused to carry out this important responsibility as the umpire.
“For whatever reason, the action of INEC is not known to the Electoral Act nor any law in our country. INEC has not told this nation that the election was inconclusive, where elections have been concluded at various units, it becomes mandatory that you must as a matter of principle declare the results and whoever is not satisfied has the only option of going to court to challenge the results.”
However, INEC has dismissed the allegation that fake result sheet was used in the re-run elections.
State Residence Electoral Commissioner (REC), Elder Aniede Ikoiwak, insisted that INEC had no fake electoral material in its possession, and challenged any person that claimed to have a fake result sheet to produce it with the original.
Ikoiwak expressed dissatisfaction with the conduct of the election, emphasising that politicians in Nigeria and Rivers State in particular, should change their orientation about politics and election.
In another development, Britain yesterday expressed worry over reported violence during the elections.
In a statemeent, the British High Commission in Abuja, said UK was disappointed over attacks, particularly on electoral officials. The statement which was signed by the Commission’s Press and Public Affairs Officer, Joe Abuku, said UK observers in Rivers State saw irregularities around the voting and noted the low turn-out of voters at polling units which was in part a consequence of fear of violence.