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Calls for independent investigation into poll
One of the major contestants in the June 20 Rivers South-East Senatorial District by-election, Douglas Fabeke of the Action Alliance (AA), has petitioned the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Tunji Disu, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over what he described as overwhelming irregularities that characterised last Saturday’s exercise.
In a letter titled, “Complaint against alleged electoral misconduct, violence, intimidation, collusion and irregularities during Rivers South-East Senatorial District By-election and Demand for Investigation”, addressed to the INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, and IGP Tunji Disu on June 22, Fabeke called for an independent investigation into the conduct of some compromised security agents and INEC officials who allegedly aided the manipulation of the election to favour the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Olaka Nwogu.
The AA candidate alleged serious incidents of electoral malpractice, voter suppression, intimidation, violence, destruction of electoral materials and other irregularities recorded across the seven local government areas that make up the senatorial district.
He said reports from his agents indicated that in some locations where result sheets were available, particularly Bomu in Gokana Local Government Area, “some Presiding Officers refused to properly count recorded votes.”
Fabeke, in a statement, claimed that “some INEC officials and electoral materials were moved to a hotel where ballot papers belonging to the Action Alliance were allegedly removed and destroyed”.
He further alleged: “In Bomu Ward 2, it was reported that some INEC officials were allegedly offered cash inducements of Fifty Thousand Naira (₦50,000) by PDP agents, with threats allegedly issued against officials who refused to cooperate.
“Across the Senatorial District, particularly in Khana Local Government Area, reports indicate that vote-buying occurred extensively. It was alleged that some voters were offered cash payments of ₦5,000 and ₦1,000 respectively in exchange for voting for the PDP.
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“In Oyigbo Wards 1 to 10, there were reports of massive voter inducement and lobbying at polling centres, where agents of the PDP allegedly distributed money to influence voters. Due to the severity of these incidents, voting activities were reportedly disrupted and cancelled in Unit 5, Ward 10, Oyigbo Local Government Area.”
Fabeke also alleged reports of the failure of Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines during accreditation, stating that the devices rejected voters who were already duly registered, while also recording reduced numbers of accredited voters, thereby disenfranchising eligible voters.
According to him, “there are allegations that in some polling units, INEC officials and other persons allegedly interfered with the voting process by manually thumb-printing ballot papers, inflating figures and altering results in favour of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).”
Fabeke further alleged that reports from his agents across the polling units indicated that security agents, particularly police officers deployed to polling units, “failed to intervene during acts of intimidation, violence and electoral misconduct.”
He added: “Some security personnel assisted in preventing access to electoral materials and allowing irregular activities to continue.”
Fabeke declared: “Being the Action Alliance candidate for the Rivers South-East Senatorial District Bye-Election, I hereby reject the result announced by INEC, as the process that produced the declared result was allegedly compromised by widespread irregularities, violence, intimidation, voter suppression and manipulation.
“These alleged incidents raise serious concerns about compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act and the guidelines of the commission. I, therefore, call for a full and independent investigation into the conduct of the election; preservation and examination of all electoral materials, including ballot papers, result sheets, BVAS records and electronic transmission records; and INEC to declare me as the legitimate winner of the election.”
