Barely 24 hours after it alleged plot to relocate venue of the result collation centre for the Rivers State governorship election, the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has revealed that leaders of opposition in the state want to use a phantom security report to stop the exercise totally.

The continuation and expected conclusion of the collation of the governorship election result is scheduled for April 2.

This is coming at a time women opposed to the delayed conclusion of the governorship election marched on the streets of Port Harcourt to register their reservations.

According to the PDP, leaders of opposition in Rivers State and chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are trying to use the Department of State Services (DSS) to stop the collation of the governorship election result with the excuse that continuation would cause breakdown of law and order.

The plot, they said, is for the DSS to release a phantom security report saying that the safety of the collation and returning officers are not guaranteed in the state and therefore recommend that the exercise be stopped to avoid blood shed.

“From our intelligence, the opposition leaders want to instigate the DSS to write a phantom security report saying collation of the remaining results would lead to bloodshed and therefore recommended that the exercise be suspended indefinitely. Their plan is to stop the collation of the result and cause a constitution crisis. They do not want the result released. They want to cause constitution crisis and perhaps, achieve a state of emergency,” said chairman of the PDP in the state, Felix Obuah.

In a related development, thousands of Rivers women, including traders took to the streets of Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, in a peaceful protest to declare that the state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Ubo Effanga, who conducted the 2019 elections in the state, should not be transferred, as demanded by enemies of the state.

The women, who took off from the popular Isaac Boro Park as early as 9:00am, carrying placards with various inscriptions, like: “Rivers women say Amaechi cannot be governor for 3rd term”, “Awara, when and where did you campaign”, “Wike must come back for second term”, “INEC collate and declare governorship election result in Rivers State” and “Enough of this long delay”, among others, trekked to the office of the Department of State Security (DSS) along Forces Avenue, Old GRA, Port Harcourt, where their leaders were addressed by the representative of the state director of DSS.

The women, who spotted white vests, chanting ‘no Wike, no Rivers State’ song, defied the scorching sun and proceeded to the State Police Headquarters, Moscow Road, where they were addressed by Assistant Commissioner of Police, Betty Otimeh, who stood in for Commissioner of Police, Usman Belel, who was said to be unavoidably absent.

Speaking on behalf of the protesters, the leader of the protesting women and Rivers State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs. Ukel Oyaghiri, said they have come to express appreciation with the way the police conducted the affairs during the elections and urged them to keep up the tempo.

Oyaghiri said Rivers women were getting agitated over the delay in announcing the results of the governorship election that was conducted since March 9, 2019.

“Rivers women have come to express our displeasure on the delay to announce the Rivers State election results. All other states have had their results announced with winners emerged and even court injunctions that had to do with stoppage of election process in every other states have been vacated.

“But in Rivers State where election took place and collation has been done, INEC has refused to announce the results, and this has put all women in suspense. As women, who have passed through thick and thin in course of the election, we cannot keep quiet over the delay in announcing the results”, she said.

Oyaghiri went on: “Some of us were beaten and in resisting, some horrible things were done to us. And that is why we have come here to say, ‘INEC please declare our results’.”

The Women Affairs Commissioner stated that the delay in announcing the results has put the state into comatose and urged the INEC Chairman, Prof. Yakubu Mahmood, to ignore calls from enemies of Rivers State for the removal of Effanga.

“We don’t want Effanga to be removed, he has started this work and he should be allowed to finish it. If you remove Effanga who conducted the election, is it a person who was never privy to the conduct of the election that you will bring?” she asked, reaffirming that INEC should do the needful by announcing the results.

The women alleged that the APC has perfected plans to disrupt the collation and announcement of governorship results in Rivers State, scheduled for April 2-5, 2019.

Responding, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Otimeh, thanked the women for their peaceful disposition during the protest and assured that their messages would be delivered to the Commissioner, Belel, with appropriate actions taken where necessary.

Meanwhile, the anti -REC women protesters staged a protest demanding the immediate transfer of Effanga out of the state.

The protesters, led by All Female Initiative for Leadership and Empowerment, also demanded the outright cancellation of the electoral process, adding that the collated results have been tampered with.

The women walked to the office of INEC on Aba-Port Harcourt, where they were received by representatives of the commission, with placards bearing, ‘Obo Effanga Must Go.’

Leader of the protest, Ms. Gulu Amakiri, said people of the state have lost confidence in Effanga, and called for his immediate transfer out of the state.


Source : https://www.sunnewsonline.com/rivers-pdp-alleges-plot-to-stop-collation-using-phantom-security-report/

We are good to unseat him

Share for wike abi like for Amiachi

Desperation of Amaechi in this Rivers State matter has gone out of hand. Amaechi greed and pride was what brought APC into this tight corner and as a result APC has no candidate in Rivers. APC loyalists should be made to understand that their common enemy is Amaechi not anyone else. Amaechi has been Speaker 8yrs, Governor 8yr and now Minister 4yr and has achieved a lot politically for himself. APC might be disliked in Rivers but d hatred got heightened cos dia navigator in chief Amaechi is seen as enemy of d state. Amaechi should give up already as d consequences of holding d entire state to ransom can only be imagined.

An Election was conducted, why not call out its result?

Phantom abi Infinix security report?

Yeyenatu

Ignore the zombie above me.. He is suffering from mental illness.. Back to the matter.. April 2-5 has been set for collation and declaration of results.. There should be no shifting or attempt to play on the Intelligence of Rivers people.. Apc rejoiced and gyrated when effanga was brought to Rivers... How come they are now calling for his transfer?? Elections has been conducted.. Inec should declare the results.. To zombies that would run to coman quote me and display their gullibility, I hope u have sense??

PDP and false alarm are like 5 and 6 Phantom KO Infinix NI