-Protesters Call for Removal of Resident INEC Commissioner
The Flurry of Protests that trailed Saturday presidential and national Assembly elections in Rivers state continued on Monday , March 30, 2015 as the state reels in electoral and post electoral crisis.
Over 1,000 Women n in black attires massed along Aba road closed to INEC office in the state in protest over the conduct of the election.
But PDP, INEC disagree with APC over claims.
A day before, Sunday , march 29 2015 there was pandemonium on the same major Aba road when members of the APC numbering of 3,000, blocked the gate of the INEC, thus shutting down the busy road.
The APC in Rivers State , in line with Governor Chibuike Amaechi’s experience and reservation over the process of the election is demanding cancelation of the election in the state, alleging mass rigging and irregularities by INEC in collaboration with security agencies.
For over two hours on the firs t protest day, the APC supporters led by the gubernatorial candidate, Hon Dakuku Adol Peterside and Senator representing Rivers South-East senatorial district, Senator Magnus Ngei Abe blocked the entrance of the commission demanding to be addressed by the Resident Electoral Commissioner by Khan.
It took a heavy down poor to deter the supporters, who also refused some returning officers access to the INEC to submit their results. However, there is heavy security presence as men of combined team of security agencies have barricaded both sides of the road with amoured personnel carriers and patrol vehicles numbering over 15.
But the protest had already wroth its damage on the city and her residents, as it caused heavy traffic jam that crippled businesses including commerce and transport.
Today, (Monday) protest was led by Hon Mrs Joeba West , Commissioner for women Affairs, and various APC women leaders in the Local Governemt Areas, but the protesters were not so lucky this time around as they were not allowed by security men to get to their INEC office destination but were nearly tear-gassed out of existence.
The tear –gas rain started when after much persuasion by the security agents, the women could not budge and insisted on moving on. Journalists were not spare in the gassing as some of them got chocked and wounded from the melee.
The Placard- wielding women alleged mass disenfranchisement of APC supporters amid the womenfolk who the further alleged were assaulted, stigmatized and raped by PDP Thugs, while voting materials , particularly result sheets were not seen in most polling stations across the state on the election day.
‘’The Rivers election was a total sham , a rape on Democracy It is our right to vote but in utter violation of this right the police aided the INEC officials and PDP members to disenfranchise us’’ West said.
The women then called for the removal of the Cancellation of the election with a rescheduled exercise on another date as well as the removal of the REC .
Observers of the current development opine that the stage is being set for macabre dance in the already volatile state. Already the flow and flourish of transport ,commerce , movement of persons are already being arrested while nightlife that had returned in the city of Port Harcourt and environs in the past five years is being threatened .
Already INEC Office in the Emohua Council of the state has been torched by rampaging protesters.S
On its part ,the Rivers State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP says the conduct of the Presidential and National Assembly elections in the State on Saturday was credible with the result reflecting the overwhelming wish of the people of Rivers State to support President Goodluck Jonathan and candidates of the Party.
The State Chairman of the PDP, Bro Felix Obuah made the assertion in a reaction to APC claims in a Statement that was made available to Journalists.
“Rivers State is a traditional PDP State and even if the elections are conducted a million times, the PDP will win here. Was the APC expecting Rivers people to vote for another Presidential candidate other than President Goodluck Jonathan? That must be a wishful thinking” Obuah added.
He condemned in strong terms the resort to violence and falsehood by members of the APC and vehemently denies allegations of violence leveled against members of the PDP.
On the call by the APC for the cancellation of the polls in Rivers State, the PDP said there was nothing in the conduct of the elections that will warrant such call, describing it as the behavior of bad losers.
The party said allegations of violence against its members were diversionary and orchestrated by the APC to disrupt the election, when it became clear to its members in the State that PDP would win, adding, ‘’on the other hand, it is the APC that has been investing in violence in the State. A few examples will show.
INEC on the other hand, said it was not true that result sheets were missing . According to the REC, Geisila Khan, Governor Amaechi demanded the sheets when accreditation had not even started, adding that all party agents were present at INEC office when all the materials were assembled and distributed.