PDP Agents To Rivers State Governorship Tribunal: Governorship Election Was Free And Fair
Agents of the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) have told the Rivers State Governorship Election Tribunal that the March 9, 2019 Governorship Election was conducted in line with the Electoral Act and INEC guidelines.
Testifying at the Tribunal after winner of the Governorship election in a petition filed by the defeated ADP Governorship Candidate, Victor Fingesi, Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike opened his defence on Thursday, the ward and local agents of the PDP said that the election was held under a peaceful atmosphere. They debunked the allegation by the ADP that the Governorship Election was disrupted by violence.
The Collation Agent for Port Harcourt City Local Government Area, Chinyere Igwe, who is a member of the House of Representatives , said he never observed any irregularities during the election.
He added that the election was conducted peacefully in line with the stipulated guidelines across Port Harcourt City Local Government Area.
He told the tribunal that accreditation, election and collation of results were done peacefully and successfully at Port Harcourt City Local Government Area without any suspension.
He said, “Port Harcourt City LGA Collation Centre was at Elekahia Primary School, I was present at the collation centre and I witnessed the collation of results as the collation agent there. The result was announced by the electoral officer on March 10 at about 12 noon.
“Elections went successfully at the 20 wards of the local government area and all due processes were followed, the results were announced accordingly, it was collation at the state level that collation were suspended and not the local government level.”
Similarly, Dan Nsan, Ward 7 collation agent of the PDP for Andoni Local Government Area, of the State, told the tribunal that he was present at the ward collation centre at his ward, when results were collated by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), adding that he witnessed the collation of unit and ward results into the forms EC8A and EC8B.
Nsan stated: “INEC officials were present at the polling units, they entered the units results at the form EC8A and also entered the ward result into the form EC8B.
“I was given my own copy of the results, but i have submitted them to my party”, he stated
The PDP agent further told the tribunal that he did not receive any report of malpractice or violence from agents, adding that INEC officials were present at the polling units in Ward 7 and witnessed the processes.
He stressed that election took place in a peaceful and orderly environment, adding that result was entered in the relevant forms and there was no agreement with INEC that the documents were doctored.
The Rivers State Governorship Election Tribunal under the chairmanship of Justice J. A. Orjiako has adjourned to Friday, July 26, 2019 for continuation of defence by Governor Wike.
