Politics

Rivers: Opposition Parties Question Results Announced By INEC

Published

2 years ago

March 20, 2023

Editor

Following the conduct of the Governorship and state Assembly elections in Rivers State, the All Progressives Congress has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC to investigate officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission and all those who served as adhoc staff and returning officers in the State.

Speaking during the announcement of the governorship election at the INEC State Collation Centre in Port Harcourt on Monday, the Returning Agent for the APC, Michael West, claimed that INEC officials and ad hoc staff were induced in hard currency, to rig the elections in favour of the Peoples Democratic Party.

West rejected the governorship result from Asari Toru Local Government, which he said was not collated completely before the process was obstructed and materials taken away by the Electoral Officer, who promised to call all the agents to continue collation.

The APC state collation agent who doubles as the Patrick Tonye-Cole Director General of Campaign Organization, said the EO never returned to complete the collation at the LGA level, but came with results to be announced at the INEC state head office.

He insisted that the number of accredited voters in the INEC portal is different from the figures announced by the returning officer.

“Materials and results were taken away with the collation officers and the security chief to an unknown destination.

“We were waiting this morning to see if we will be called to the collation centre for the collation to go on. The only collation that went on were the assembly results and the governorship wasn’t done.

“And we did not get any information. That woman sitting there, calling herself associate prof, is giving us the result of governorship.

“Now, let me also say this, that in INEC server, if you check, we have 251 units in Asari Toru LGA and 176 were uploaded and it means that there was no election in 75 units.

“They carted away the materials and went and cooked up these results. I went to the INEC server and saw that the results were mutilated.

“I want to call on the EFCC to please probe into all the people that served in this election,” he added.

Similarly, the collation agents for the Labour Party, Fred Umeji and his counterpart from the Social Democratic Party, Salvation Moses, in their presentation at the INEC head office in PortHarcourt, said most of the figures presented do not tally with what was uploaded in the INEC portal.

They accused the state returning officer of compromise, insisting that the Resident Electoral Officer and the Returning Officer have the legal right to suspend the announcement of results when they have been contested by other parties.

In his response, the State Returning Officer, Professor Akpofure Ron-Rukeh said the electoral act has responded to most of the questions raised, and insisted that announcement of results must continue.

Politics

Two PDP, LP Reps Dump Parties For APC

Published

5 hours ago

June 24, 2025

Editor

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP) on Tuesday lost one lawmaker each in the House of Representatives to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The defectors — Hon. Peter Akpanke and Hon. Paul Nnamchi — formally announced their switch during plenary, with their defection letters read by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas.

Akpanke, who was elected on the PDP platform, represents Obanliku/Obudu/Bekwara Federal Constituency of Cross River State. Nnamchi, elected under the LP, represents Enugu East/Isi Uzo Federal Constituency of Enugu State.

Both lawmakers attributed their defections to internal crises within their former parties and their desire to support and align with the policies and programmes of the APC-led Federal Government.

Their decision was greeted with applause by APC members in the chamber, as Speaker Abbas congratulated the duo on their new political move.

Politics

JUST IN: SDP Suspends National Chairman Gabam, Auditor, Youth Leader

Published

6 hours ago

June 24, 2025

Editor

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has approved the immediate suspension of the National Chairman of the Party, Shehu Gabam, along with two members of the National Working Committee (NWC), Nnadi Clarkson, National Auditor, and Chukwuma Uchechukwu, National Youth Leader, over allegations of gross financial misconduct, embezzlement, misappropriation and diversion of party funds.

Their suspension was contained in a statement issued and made available to Vanguard by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Araba Rufus Aiyenigba.

It reads, “The decision followed resolutions made by members of the National Working Committee (NWC), where overwhelming evidences were presented linking the suspended officials to a series of unauthorized financial transactions, personal enrichment schemes, and movement of funds from the party’s accounts without any approvals of the NWC.

“This development first came to light when it was discovered that the National Chairman had sent an unauthorised Financial Statement to INEC as demanded from all political parties.

“A summary of the fraudulent account was also published in the Newspapers. When the NWC got to know this, it made a resolution to report the fraudulent abnormalities to law enforcement agencies.

“The action of the NWC to suspend the National Chairman and two members of the NWC involved in the gross financial misconduct will also demonstrate to the general public that the Party, generally esteemed by Nigerians as a disciplined party and a credible alternative political platform for national redemption has zero tolerance for corruption and abuse of office.”

According to Aiyenigba, “The decision to suspend the National Chairman and other implicated NWC members is to allow for a thorough, investigation. Our integrity as a political party must be upheld at all times,” the statement read.

“An interim investigative panel has been constituted to audit all financial records and recommend further disciplinary or legal actions.

“In the interim, the Deputy National Chairman (North), Dr. Sadiq Umar Abubakar has assumed leadership of the party as Acting National Chairman as per the provisions of the Constitution of the party.”

Aiyenigba alleged that “the misappropriated funds amount to hundreds of millions of naira, including donations and resources realised from the sales of nomination forms in the 2023 general elections and other funds from the party accounts.

“The suspension of these officers has been communicated to the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) and all relevant agencies.”

He said that “the suspension of Alhaji Shehu Musa Gabam, Nze Nnadi Clarkson, and Uchechukwu Ogbonna Chukwuma takes immediate effect.”

Politics

Drama As PDP Staff Shut Offices, Reject Anyanwu’s Return

Published

8 hours ago

June 24, 2025

Editor

In a dramatic fashion, management and staff of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, National Secretariat, yesterday shut their offices and staged a mass walkout in protest against Senator Samuel Anyanwu’s attempt to forcibly reclaim his position as national secretary.

The protest came after the party’s National Working Committee, NWC, appointed Setonji Koshodeo as acting National Secretary, an appointment the staff had earlier pledged to support.

According to multiple sources who spoke to Vanguard in Abuja, Anyanwu arrived at the party headquarters with suspected thugs and tried to take control of the national secretary’s office.

But staff members, determined not to recognise or work with him, quickly mobilised and vacated the premises, leaving Anyanwu stranded and visibly embarrassed.

One of the protesting staff members said: “Anyanwu and his people entered the building. It wasn’t just an attempt, they actually went straight into the national secretary’s office with some of his aides.”

As the standoff continued, the PDP secretariat remained deserted, with staff insisting they would not return until Anyanwu vacated the office.

The protest was a show of loyalty to the NWC. Back in May, the staff had publicly pledged to support the committee’s decision, insisting that Koshoedo’s appointment followed the party’s internal procedures.

Another source revealed that Anyanwu was later advised by his aides to leave quietly to avoid further humiliation.

“We had all left our offices and walked out in protest. That firm action led to his exit,” the source said.

Explaining further, the staff added: “When he realised the atmosphere was hostile and there was no one left to work with, apart from the few people he came with, his aides advised him to leave, rather than remain in such an awkward situation.”

The incident has triggered accusations within the party, with some staff alleging that Anyanwu is a ‘mole’ planted by the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, to cause chaos within the PDP, ahead of the 2027 elections.

Although unconfirmed, these allegations have added to growing tension within the party.

The walkout has raised fresh concerns about the PDP’s internal unity and its preparedness for the 2027 general elections.

As the main opposition party, some fear its credibility could suffer if the leadership crisis is not quickly resolved.

The situation highlighted the growing factionalisation within the party and the challenge of staying united.

The PDP has not yet issued an official statement on the matter. Attempts to reach the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, were unsuccessful as he did not answer calls to his phone.