The African Action Congress ( AAC) State Collation Agent for the 2019 Rivers State Governorship Election, Mr Nenye Kocha has declared that Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike emerged victorious on the strength of the Governorship Collation between April 2 and 3, 2019.
Kocha who appeared as Star Witness of AAC at the Rivers State Governorship Election Tribunal on Monday said all through the Collation of results, there was no time that the defeated AAC Governorship Candidate led in the race.
Kocha who is also the Secretary of AAC said that he is registered member with party card registration number: AAC8016ONL . He joined the AAC in August 2018.
The AAC State collation agent, told the tribunal that the party only had only 418 agents across the 4442 units in the state. He said as a new party, they were able to clear only four House of Assembly candidates and one Governorship candidate for the March 9, 2019 election.
He revealed during cross examination by counsel for 2nd respondent (Wike), Emmanuel Ukala (SAN) that one Donatus Barikor from Gokana LGA and Henry Iyala from Degema LGA who testified for Awara as the party collation agents were imposters and not AAC members.
He further declared that there were no results collated for Gokana and Abua/Odual Local Government Areas during the State Collation of the Rivers State Governorship Election.
The AAC Star Witness said: “We had just four house of Assembly candidates and one Governorship candidate. Out of the 32 Seats in the Assembly, we only had four candidates. No candidate for National Assembly. We had collation agents in only 418 polling units across the 4442 polling units in the state.
“No result was declared for Abua/Odual and Gokana LGAs as at the time of collation. INEC conducted the election in strict compliance of the Electoral Act and INEC guidelines”.
The Rivers AAC Governorship Election Collation Agent declared that he will not dent his integrity because of mere politics, emphasising that he was at the Tribunal to declare the truth.
He said: “Donatus Barikor for Gokana and Henry Iyala for Degema were not AAC party agents.
“This is the first time I am in politics, coming from industry I am in politics for integrity. APC adopted our Governorship candidate two days to the election”.
Kocha admitted at the Tribunal that as the Party no longer has a Deputy Governorship Candidate following the withdrawal of Chief Akpo Bomba Yeeh from the ticket.
He said that the AAC won in only two Local Government Areas, Akuku-Toru Local Government Area and Oyigbo LGA as clearly declared by INEC during the Collation of results.
Nenye added that most of the witnesses presented in court by Biokpomabo Awara initially were not members of AAC . He stated the AAC started in August 2018 and only prepared for the election two days to the polls after it was adopted by the leadership of the APC.
Also on Monday, a certified video clip presented by the African Action Congress through its subpoenaed witness, an African Independent Television (AIT) staff, Osademe Joseph, proved Governor Nyesom Wike as the winner of the 2019 Governorship election in Rivers State after the Collation of Results between April 2 and 3 of 2019.
Mr Osademe told the Rivers State Governorship Election Tribunal that he was one of the producers of the live broadcast of the Rivers State Governorship election results collation held between April 2 and 3, 2019, at the state headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in Port Harcourt.
In the video clip played in court, INEC declared Governor Wike winner of the poll with 888, 264 votes ahead of the AAC Gubernatorial candidate, Biokpomabo Festus Awara who came second in the list with total of 173, 859 votes.
The video also confirmed the collation and declaration of Obio Akpor LGA election results and non declaration of Gokana and Abua/Odual LGAs by INEC.
The matter has been adjourned to Tuesday 17th August for the continuation of the AAC’s Case.
