A Port Harcourt based cleric who preferred to be known as Azubuike has lambasted those who thronged Government House, Port Harcourt on Monday night to celebrat the outcome of the Governorship and State House of Assembly elections in Rivers state.
Speaking in an interview with newsmen in Port Harcourt, the cleric said, ”with the blood of murdered citizens dripping and victims of attacks during the elections in excruciating pains, Rvers state should be in mourning mood and every Rivers man should be in sober reflection of what has happened”.
He observed that ”the election was characterized by wide scale electoral malpractices such as vote buying , voters intimidation, suppression and molestation, including killings, abduction, snatching of ballot boxes, fake result writing, no use of BVAS machines in accreditation and uploading of results, security breaches by supporters of the ruling party at the full glare of security personnel who turned blind eyes to their nefarious activities”.
”While all these happened, it appeared that INEC adhoc staff were given clear cut instructions to compromise. In most polling units, agents of the ruling party announced that those who were not prepared to vote for the ruling party should leave the polling station without a counter announcement by the INEC adhoc staff. In some polling units, there were reported cases where photocopies of ballot papers were given to voters and results entered in photocopied result sheets. Earlier before then, agents of state government had gone around communities through town criers , telling voters who were not willing to vote for the ruling party to stay away from the polling stations. In places where the elections were not favourable to the ruling party , their thugs were unleashed on voters and INEC adhoc staff, BVAS machines, sensitive and non sensitive documents carted away”, he further observed.
He stated that the election by any stardard cannot be said to be free and fair
He described it as a charade that cannot be tolerated where civilized people exist.
The cleric condemned INEC for not conducting an impartial election.
”’This impunity going on over the years unquestioned must be stopped”, he said.
Azubuike called on the Inspector- General of police, Usman Alkali Baba, to investigate the anormalies of the elections which are criminal matters that fall within the purview of police jurisdiction.
”Nobody is above the law. any time from now, the governor of Rivers state, Nyesom wike will leave office. He is answerable to all criminal offences he is alleged to have committed. The police can prosecute him and also other offenders. In so doing, we can restore sanity in our national life”, he stated.
Recall that Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, Rivers State governor -elect, Sir Siminialayi Fubara his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu, the Director general, Rivers State PDP campaign council, Felix Obuah,Emohua State lawmaker elect, Mrs. Justina Emeji and supporters of Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) were reported jubilating at Government House, Port Harcourt on Monday night after declaration of Sim Fubara as governor -elect by INEC.
