Rivers LG election marred by violence, hijacking of electoral materials
…As hoodlums disrupt peaceful election process, RSIEC officials chased away
Barth Ndubuwah,Port Harcourt
The local government election in Rivers State that would have qualified as the most peaceful in the history of the State,was later perforated by hijack of electoral materials by yet to be identified thugs.
Rumuwoji (Mile one) field,ward 12, comprising units 3,4,5,6,8,10 and 11 in Port Harcourt Local Government Area,often referred to as Ojukwu Field were all affected by this ignoble act.
Our Correspondent who covered the polls reported that materials arrived the venue as early as 7.30am and voting commenced in earnest,but this was disrupted halfway when some hoodlums drove in with unmarked vehicles and carted away ballot boxes already stuffed with ballot papers cast by voters.
Woji Community,in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area also suffered the same fate,as thugs allegedly sponsored by a faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) led by former CTC chairman,Tony Okocha, accompanied by police officers stormed the collation centre,shot gun and teargas indiscriminately and carted away ballot boxes.
A lot of voters were said to have been injured in the process,while scampering for safety.
Rumuepirikom axis,the community of the FCT Minister,Nyesom Wike,also in Obio/Akpor was said to have been declared a ‘no vote zone’,courtesy of the Minister.
Eye witness account has it that the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) officials who came to conduct the election there were chased away by the people, said to be acting on the instructions of Wike.
RSIEC Public Education Officer,Tobin confirmed the incident,saying that for the safety of the RSIEC staff,the Commission had to withdraw the crew and materials assigned to the area .
The case at Elelenwo,in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area also,where the Federal lawmaker representing Obio/Akpor Constituency at the House of Representatives,Kingsley Chinda hails from, was not different,as RSIEC officials were stopped from conducting election in the area.
Sizeably, the local government election was peaceful in most LGAs.
For instance, Eleme,Tai,Gokana,Khana,Degema,Okrika,Ogu/Bolo,Akuku-Toru,Bonny,Opobo/Nkoro local government areas,among others recorded a peaceful exercise.
The election took place at 6,366 units and 319 wards across the 23 local government areas of Rivers State,as results are being awaited.
