By Ishaya Ibrahim
Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Tonye Cole, was whisked to safety on Monday, after a commotion at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) premises in the state.
The commotion is coming days after Cole’s legal team consisting of three lawyers and five supporting staff, were arrested by the Rivers State Police Command.
Documents and a laptop being used to prepare a petition against the victory of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the governorship contest, were confiscated by the police.
Cole is protesting the outcome of the March 18 governorship election in Rivers State.
He met a brick wall of thugs at the INEC where he and his legal team had gone to inspect vital election materials used for the election.
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But thugs, reportedly hired by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), prevented Cole and his legal team from accessing the INEC office to inspect election materials.
Cole, accompanied by the State APC Chairman, Emeka Beke and other party leaders were chased away by the thugs who pelted them with stones and water sachets.
Cole’s security operatives were said to have immediately whisked him away from the scene as the commotion continued.
Soldiers of the 6 Division, Nigeria’s Army, operatives of the Nigeria Police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) rushed to the scene. They shot into the air to disperse the protesters.