Top officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC)
on Saturday maintained that the Rivers State Governorship Election on
March 9, 2019 witnessed voting at the polling units, with declaration of
results at the polling units and Ward Collation Centres.
According to more Local Government Electoral Officers(EOs) of the
Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) , the Rivers State
Governorship election was held on the March 9, 2019 and results were
announced and declared at the various polling units, wards collation
centres.
Testifying at the Rivers State Governorship Election Tribunal during
during a cross examination, INEC Electoral Officer who was in charge of
Portharcourt City Local Government, Beejay Agidiomo said elections held
across the 587 units and 20 wards in the LGA. He said the results were
declared at the units and wards.
Answering questions from the counsel to the PDP, J. Y. Musa (SAN) the
Port Harcourt Electoral Officer said that INEC followed all the
electoral guidelines .
He said that no INEC officials were arrested or questioned for illegal
activities during the 2019 Governorship Election in Port Harcourt
because it was free and fair.
The Electoral Officer of Portharcourt City Local Government, Beejay
Agidiomo also confirmed that electoral materials were distributed to all
the pulling units and wards and there was no destruction of electoral
materials on election day.
Responding to a question by Emmanuel Ukala (SAN), counsel to Governor
Wike, the Electoral Officer for Port Harcourt City Local Government Area
stressed
that: “voting, counting collation and declaration took place on the
March 9, 2019 at his LGA”.
Also testifying at the Rivers State Governorship Election Tribunal,
Electoral Officer for Andoni Local Government Area, Austine Nwana said
elections took place in all the 137 pulling units and 11 wards of Andoni
LGA.
He said ” I can confirm to you that elections took place in all the
pulling units and wards in Andoni”.
He said contrary to claims by one ADP Witness, Jacob Friday, that
elections were disrupted in Wards 4 and 9 of Andoni Local Government
Area, the Electoral Officer stated that the elections held in the two
wards.
He said votes that were recorded at the end of the Governorship election
in Andoni Local Government Area were in line with the voting pattern of
March 9, 2019.
In his testimony, INEC Electoral Officer who was in charge of Oyigbo
Local Government Area, Francis Akarakpa admitted that elections took
place in Oyigbo LGA during the March 9, 2019 Rivers Governorship
Election, but noted that after the collation of results, the PDP agent
refused to sign the result sheet while the AAC Party agent signed at the
collation centre.
The Rivers State Governorship Election Tribunal under the chairmanship
of Justice J.A. Orjiako adjourned sitting to July 23, 2019 for
continuation of Cross Examination in the petition filed by Mr Victor
Fingesi of the ADP.
It will be recalled that last Thursday, Five INEC Electoral Officers
stated that the Governorship Election on March 9, 2019 was conducted in
line with the Electoral Act and INEC Guidelines.