The anarchy in Rivers State arising from the violent rerun elections held in the state on Saturday, took a turn for the worse yesterday when some security operatives made up of soldiers and policemen in Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) uniforms stormed the Port Harcourt City Hall collation centre and tried to disrupt the declaration of results by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

INEC yesterday had announced the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidates – Senator George Sekibo and Mr. Osinachukwu Ideozu – winners of the senatorial rerun elections in Rivers East and Rivers West Senatorial Districts, respectively.
This was after the commission had declared Senator Magnus Abe as the winner of the Rivers South East Senatorial District election on Sunday.

However, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state kicked against the results that showed PDP had won two of the senatorial seats, saying it would contest them as it was not done in accordance with the law.

Declaring the results at the collation centre, the Returning Officer for Rivers East, Prof. Orji Okumenkama, said Sekibo scored 93,098 votes to defeat the candidate of the APC, Chief Andrew Uchendu, who scored 34,193 votes.

The Returning Officer for the Rivers West Senatorial District, Prof Raphael Ndubuisi Echebiri, also declared that Ideozu of the PDP had polled 107,166 votes to defeat APC’s Otelemaba Amachree who scored 46,898 votes.

The announcement of the results, however, did not come without drama, as some security operatives made up of soldiers and policemen in SARS uniforms stormed the Port Harcourt City Hall collation centre and tried to disrupt the process.

However, as more people were attracted to the melee that ensued at the city hall, the security operatives shot sporadically into the air to scare the people and made their exit.

In the ensuing confusion, an INEC election officer, Mary Tokoyo, was manhandled.

“They (security operatives) hit me with a chair, they slapped me. I was molested,” she told journalists as she was taken to the hospital for medical attention.

The state governor, Nyesom Wike, was among those who rushed to the collation centre, as the security operatives invaded the centre.

Addressing supporters shortly after the announcement of the results, Sekibo dedicated his victory to “the resilience of the Rivers governor and the people”.

“I dedicate this victory to all the people of the Rivers East Senatorial District and indeed the entire people of the state. If not for their commitment and that they came out to support democracy, I believe that the hell-raiders would have taken away our mandate,” he said.

He also promised to pursue electoral reforms when he rejoins his colleagues at the Senate.

Also addressing the crowd at the city hall, Wike said the overbearing federal might which he said was on display before, during and after the rerun polls in the state, would not be allowed to happen in any other election in Rivers State, as the people had been taught how to prepare for elections.

He also threatened to withdraw logistics support to security agencies in the state in response to their activities during the elections.

Wike said: “I thank God for the strength and courage he has given to us in this election. We have really sacrificed. I know that freedom comes with sacrifice.

“Rivers people were murdered for just simple legislative elections. The federal government came with their might to conquer Rivers State, just because they wanted to win. They killed people because they want the state.

“The blood of those people they killed will be on their heads. States that cannot pay their workers salary and cannot carry out meaningful projects brought money to rig the elections in this state.

“They should be ashamed because they won one senatorial seat but we won two of the senatorial seats. They fought but God said, no way, do not be intimidated. This will never happen in 2019.

“They have shown us that there is no democracy in Nigeria, if not why don’t they conduct elections the way they have been done in other countries.”
http://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2016/12/13/security-personnel-attempt-to-disrupt-rivers-senatorial-results-announcement/

zik4ever:
The anarchy in Rivers State arising from the violent rerun elections held in the state on Saturday, took a turn for the worse yesterday when some security operatives made up of soldiers and policemen in Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) uniforms stormed the Port Harcourt City Hall collation centre and tried to disrupt the declaration of results by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

INEC yesterday had announced the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidates – Senator George Sekibo and Mr. Osinachukwu Ideozu – winners of the senatorial rerun elections in Rivers East and Rivers West Senatorial Districts, respectively.
This was after the commission had declared Senator Magnus Abe as the winner of the Rivers South East Senatorial District election on Sunday.

However, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state kicked against the results that showed PDP had won two of the senatorial seats, saying it would contest them as it was not done in accordance with the law.

Declaring the results at the collation centre, the Returning Officer for Rivers East, Prof. Orji Okumenkama, said Sekibo scored 93,098 votes to defeat the candidate of the APC, Chief Andrew Uchendu, who scored 34,193 votes.

The Returning Officer for the Rivers West Senatorial District, Prof Raphael Ndubuisi Echebiri, also declared that Ideozu of the PDP had polled 107,166 votes to defeat APC’s Otelemaba Amachree who scored 46,898 votes.

The announcement of the results, however, did not come without drama, as some security operatives made up of soldiers and policemen in SARS uniforms stormed the Port Harcourt City Hall collation centre and tried to disrupt the process.

However, as more people were attracted to the melee that ensued at the city hall, the security operatives shot sporadically into the air to scare the people and made their exit.

In the ensuing confusion, an INEC election officer, Mary Tokoyo, was manhandled.

“They (security operatives) hit me with a chair, they slapped me. I was molested,” she told journalists as she was taken to the hospital for medical attention.

The state governor, Nyesom Wike, was among those who rushed to the collation centre, as the security operatives invaded the centre.

Addressing supporters shortly after the announcement of the results, Sekibo dedicated his victory to “the resilience of the Rivers governor and the people”.

“I dedicate this victory to all the people of the Rivers East Senatorial District and indeed the entire people of the state. If not for their commitment and that they came out to support democracy, I believe that the hell-raiders would have taken away our mandate,” he said.

He also promised to pursue electoral reforms when he rejoins his colleagues at the Senate.

Also addressing the crowd at the city hall, Wike said the overbearing federal might which he said was on display before, during and after the rerun polls in the state, would not be allowed to happen in any other election in Rivers State, as the people had been taught how to prepare for elections.

He also threatened to withdraw logistics support to security agencies in the state in response to their activities during the elections.

Wike said: “I thank God for the strength and courage he has given to us in this election. We have really sacrificed. I know that freedom comes with sacrifice.

“Rivers people were murdered for just simple legislative elections. The federal government came with their might to conquer Rivers State, just because they wanted to win. They killed people because they want the state.

“The blood of those people they killed will be on their heads. States that cannot pay their workers salary and cannot carry out meaningful projects brought money to rig the elections in this state.

“They should be ashamed because they won one senatorial seat but we won two of the senatorial seats. They fought but God said, no way, do not be intimidated. This will never happen in 2019.

“They have shown us that there is no democracy in Nigeria, if not why don’t they conduct elections the way they have been done in other countries.”
http://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2016/12/13/security-personnel-attempt-to-disrupt-rivers-senatorial-results-announcement/

.With the reported violence that characterised the rivers rerun,what should we expect in 2019,could this be a prelude to what lies in waiting? Heaven help Nig.