All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates at the last the general elections from Rivers State were this morning teargassed at the gate of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) head office in Abuja. The candidates had gone to the INEC office with a petition to protest the consistent disobedience to Tribunal orders for inspection of electoral materials by the Port Harcourt office of INEC. The APC in Rivers state have consistently complained that the State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Gesila Khan is working with PDP in the State to frustrate and truncate the APC cases at the Tribunal.


Below is the petition that members of the APC, Rivers State tried to submit at the INEC Office earlier today where they were tear gassed. Photos and signatures are also attached.

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APC Candidates Liason Office,

Durumi, F.C.T, Abuja

August 11, 2015.



The Acting Chairman,

Independent National Electoral Commission,

Plot 436, Zambezi Crescent,

Maitama, Federal Capital Territory,

Abuja.


Dear Madam,



Re: CONSISTENT DISOBEDIENCE TO TRIBUNAL ORDERS FOR INSPECTION OF ELECTORAL MATERIALS BY PORT HARCOURT OFFICE OF INEC


We the candidates of the All Progressives Congress Rivers State, do state that sequel to the filing of our respective petitions, our Lawyers proceeded to obtain from the Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja, orders for inspection of electoral materials by forensic experts. The electoral materials required are intended to enable us prosecute our said Petitions. Please find attached some of the copies of the ex-parte orders obtained on our behalf.


Meanwhile, before our various petitions were filed, we had through our respective counsels applied to the Resident Electoral Commissioner Rivers State for the release of certified true copy of materials used in the conduct of the said elections to enable us prosecute our respective petitions.


Following the grant of the said orders, the orders were duly served on the Commission’s Port Harcourt office. Despite the said service and repeated visits and correspondences to the Commission’s Port Harcourt office, the Commission has failed and neglected to allow the enforcement of the orders of the Honourable Tribunal and no reasonable reason or reasons have been provided for the failure or refusal of the Commission to allow the inspection as ordered by the Tribunal. In view of the foregoing setback, we have made repeated efforts personally and through our respective counsels to see the Resident Electoral Commission for Rivers State, without any success.


It is important to observe that election petitions are time based. The 1999 Constitution (as amended) provides only 180 days within which an election petition shall be determined. Our petitions were filed on 17th and 30th of April 2015, respectively. From all indications, the petitions are left with less than 3 months within which the Petitions are to be heard on their merit. Incidentally, the inspection of electoral materials used in the said elections is very crucial in the determination of our respective petitions. Therefore, any attempt by whatever means, to prevent, halt, or delay the inspection of electoral materials, or refusal to produce properly certified true copies, is a deliberate effort intended to scuttle, frustrate and defeat the election petitions without any possibility of the said petitions being proved against the respondents.


The effect of the deliberate delay by the Independent National Electoral Commission office in Port Harcourt to allow our experts carry out inspections in line with the Tribunal’s Orders is to cause a serious obstacle, hindrance, and delay in the prosecution of the Election petitions, and to hamper the effective presentation of our Petitions, and deny the Tribunal the opportunity to see all relevant documents and material evidence needed for a just and proper determination of the Petitions. To allow this state of affairs to continue, is tantamount to a deliberate act by Independent National Electoral Commission office in Port Harcourt to frustrate the hearing of the said Petitions and occasion miscarriage of justice.


It is highly worrisome that the Independent National Electoral Commission which ought to assume the position of an unbiased umpire has now thrown caution to the wind and is now hobnobbing with the other respondents in the aforesaid petitions to frustrate the speedy and efficient determination of the petitions. The foregoing collaboration and partnership between the Commission and other respondents to the Petitions is confirmed by the Commission’s refusal to allow our experts inspect electoral materials, refusal to produce properly certified true copies and the series of objections filed by counsel to the Commission challenging the tribunals order for inspection of electoral materials. In a situation where the Commission is expected to be neutral and non-partisan (like in this case) there would be no need whatsoever to apply to set aside a simple and harmless order for inspection of electoral materials made by the Tribunal. The unavoidable conclusion to be drawn from the conduct of the Commission so far, is that the Commission has so much to hide and would prefer to make electoral materials inaccessible to the Petitioners for the sole purpose of frustrating the Petitions filed to challenge the conduct of the respective elections. Otherwise, it should normally be in the interest of the Commission to avail whosoever that cares to see how it conducted the said elections the opportunity to have access to such documents within the ambit of the law.


It is in connection with the foregoing that we humbly urge you to graciously use your good offices to immediately issue a written directive to the Resident Electoral Commissioner Rivers State, to allow our experts and Lawyers, carry out the inspection of all electoral materials in obedience to the Orders made by the Tribunal and provide us with properly certified true copies of the relevant documets. It is, no doubt, clear that the role of the Independent National Electoral Commission, is that of an umpire, and this requires that it should not be seen by any act of omission or commission to hinder Election Petitioners, , from inspecting and producing before the Tribunal all necessary electoral materials needed for the Tribunal to justly determine their Petitions.


We are confident, knowing your pedigree and great passion for justice, and high integrity, that you will treat this complaint with the urgency and seriousness it deserves by issuing the necessary directive as time is of the essence in Election Petition matters, please.


Kindly accept the assurances of our high esteem and best regards.


Thank you.


Yours faithfully,



Hon. Dr. DakukuAdolPeterside ……………………………………………..

Senator Magnus Ngei Abe ……………………………………………………

Hon. Andrew Uchendu………………………………………………………..

Hon. OtelemabaAmachree…………………………………………………….

Hon. Dr. Dawari George……………………………………………………….

IgochukwuAguma……………………………………………………………..

Hon. OgbonnaNwuke………………………………………………………….

Wihioka Frank Chidi…………………………………………………………..

Lucky Odili……………………………………………………………………

Okocha Anthony Chinedu…………………………………………………….

Collins Owhonda……………………………………………………………….

Hon. Barry Mpigi………………………………………………………………

Hon. Aye Pepple………………………………………………………………

Hon. Robinson Ewoh…………………………………………………………

Hon. Maureen Tamuno………………………………………………………..

Hon. Maurice Pronen………………………………………………………….

Sampson Gilbert Egop………………………………………………………….

Golden Chioma…………………………………………………………………

Ben Horsfall…………………………………………………………………….

Victoria Nyeche…………………………………………………………………

Andrew A. Miller……………………………………………………………….

Dike Mathew……………………………………………………………………..

Collins Ordu…………………………………………………………………….

Victor O.A. Amadi………………………………………………………………

AzubikeNwanjoku………………………………………………………………

OkechukwuAkara………………………………………………………………..

Innocent Barikor…………………………………………………………………

Chidi Julius Lloyd……………………………………………………………….

Belief Wali………………………………………………………………………

ChimaNwenendaNnokam……………………………………………………..

Irene Inimgba……………………………………………………………………

BeniboAnabraba……………………………………………………………….

Gift Nwokocha………………………………………………………………….

LegborsiNwidadah………………………………………………………………

Friday Nkeeh……………………………………………………………………

Hope BarangoTariah ………………………………………………………..

Eric Apia……………………………………………………………………….

Enos William……………………………………………………………………

Dr.RomsanDressmanOtogwung……………………………………………..

LeoAnyanwu……………………………………………………………………

Eldred Lulu-Braide………………………………………………………………

IbisoNwuche……………………………………………………………………

Engr. Ineye Jack…………………………………………………………………

Vincent Ogbuagu………………………………………………………………..

Chigbo San –Eligwe……………………………………………………………..

David Akio……………………………………………………………………….

Henry Halliday………………………………………………………………….

BelemaOkpokiri………………………………………………………………..



CC:

1. The Inspector General of Police
2. Director General, Department of State Services
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IT'S WORTH FIGHTING FOR...KEEP THE FLAG HIGH.......WE SHALL RECLAIM OUR MANDATE.

CHANGE IS HERE TO STAY.

hhahahahahahhahahaha

Candidates of All Progressives Congress in Rivers State tear gassed and locked outside at INEC Headquarters for requesting the certified true copy of the just concluded elections in the state as required by law in Abuja.

there are nt serious they should go and kill themselves. mtchewwwwwww

The wailers should s see this one o! Police tear gassing apc members. Tomorrow if you say the police is biased God will punish you.

Only a fool will believe these idiots were teargased from the pictures above. Except if the teargas is customized for them only. It doesn't make sense. How come other people in the pictures are not covering there noses. Foolish lying idiots!