Politics

Rivers: Opposition Parties Question Results Announced By INEC

Published

3 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

Defection: Peter Obi Simply Looking For ‘Food Is Ready’ Party – Wike

Published

2 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, has taken a swipe on former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, over his recent defection.

Speaking during a media parley on Wednesday, Wike said Obi is looking for a ‘food is ready’ political party.

The minister said, “Obi was in APGA, he couldn’t build APGA. He went to Labour, he ran away again from Labour. All he’s looking for is food is ready political party.”

Recall that Obi and Rabi’u Kwankwaso, former presidential candidate of the New Nigerian Peoples Party, NNPP, on Sunday officially joined the NDC ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Politics

2027: Nobody Wants Fubara – Wike

Published

2 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has dismissed claims that there is widespread support for Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara to return in 2027.

Speaking during his monthly media parley on Wednesday in Abuja, Wike suggested that Fubara can’t claim to enjoy unanimous backing from the public.

He explained that the political crisis in Rivers State had earlier been addressed through the intervention of President Bola Tinubu, particularly during impeachment proceedings initiated against Fubara.

According to Wike, the President advised all parties to embrace peace, leading to the withdrawal of the impeachment move by the State House of Assembly after agreements were reached.

Wike, however, alleged that the governor failed to fully adhere to the terms agreed during the arbitration process.

Reacting to claims that the people were urging Fubara to seek re-election in 2027, Wike rejected the assertion, insisting that such narratives were misleading.

Wike maintained that appearing before the President for arbitration required respect for the outcome, noting that all parties were expected to uphold their commitments.

He said: “The President, intervened in the impeachment proceeding. I said withdraw, let their be peace. And the governor said, look, I’m ready for peace. Look, I’m no longer interested for this. I will not do this. The Assembly went and withdrew the impeachment.

“Having withdrawn the impeachment, he is now too smart on what you agreed before the President. It’s like when you go on arbitration.”

Wike continued, “This one is what I don’t like. Nobody wants anybody. Please, don’t tell me that. Excuse me.

You can go and tell that to the market people or children. Two years that people say he should come out. Who told you that?

“Which politician will say that I was sleeping they came and woke me? Even if people people come to wake you, can’t you say, no, I won’t do it. I’m not prepared for it.

“That you appeared before a President of the country on arbitration, the two parties on arbitration, and these people respected Mr. President, and have done their own part.”

Politics

2027: Wike Opens Up On Preferred Rivers Guber Candidate

Published

3 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, on Wednesday said he hasn’t endorsed any candidate for the Rivers state gubernatorial election in 2027.

Wike stated this on Wednesday during his monthly media parley in Abuja.

Wike said that the endorsement will come only after a meeting by the joint coalition in the state.

He said: “I haven’t endorsed anybody. And I can’t endorse anybody until the joint coalition meets.”

DAILY POST reports that questions have been raised concerning the fate of current governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, in 2027.

The FCT Minister was reported to have endorsed former State Commissioner for Works, Alabo Dakorinama George Kelly, as his preferred candidate for the Rivers State governorship election.

Sources told DAILY POST that Wike settled for George after a closed-door meeting with key political stakeholders in Port Harcourt on Monday.