By Emeka Amaefula
HOW 2023 PRESIDENTIAL AND NATIONAL ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS GOT CONDUCTED IN RIVERS STATE
The 2023 Presidential election has come and gone but the ripples thrown up by the state actors and individual voters must remain with the majority of the victims who went home with disappointments. For in Rivers state what many people had speculated about the intention of the State Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike directing his Local Government Chairmen and his over 1000 employed Special Advisers on Political Affairs actually got well-rehearsed and implemented on Saturday 25th of February, 2023 as voters were directed to vote for All Progressives Congress APC Presidential candidate or get out from the Polling Unit. At Rumuigbo in Obio/Akpor wards, Units 11, 12 and 18 it was reported that an acolyte of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Rivers state Honourable Tony Okocha went around Polling Units directing Voters to vote his most preferred candidates Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
At Igwurita in Ikwerre Local Government Area in Rivers state it was reported that ballot boxes were snatched at Polling Units where elections were concluded and results indicating that APC were losing at such Units led to the agents of Rivers state Governor went into action snatching Ballot boxes to ensure that INEC cancels such results from Polling Units were there was fracas and serious disputes. Such were the Plan B which Rivers state Governor’s aides applied to making Sure that their choice of Bola Ahmed Tinubu scales through to victory in Rivers state. As such Wike’s avowed claim that he will show His Excellency Atiku Abubakar what Rivers state Votes will look like when finally collated.
At Polling Unit 003 in ward 17 Rumuolumeni opposite to NNS Pathfinder voters were present in large numbers before 8.00am but INEC Adhoc workers arrived late few minutes to 12noon and election did not commence until the set up BVAS which malfunctioned intermittently as a result voting got interrupted from time to time until 6pm when INEC officials insisted to close work while greater number of voters were still waiting for their turn to cast their votes. Over 200 out of 500 voters never voted at Unit 003 Ward 17 Rumuolumeni in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.
In Oceania axis of Akuko Toru Local Government Area in Rivers state was delayed about a day because INEC Adhoc workers could not access the Island communities because Police Officers sent to protect them disembarked and refused to accompany the INEC ad hoc workers, On Sunday 26th of February, 2023 Elections were rescheduled for Oceania Communities in Akuko Toru LGA.
Elsewhere in Rivers state Voters intimidation reigned supreme with some skirmishes around who voters should vote for which reduced Secret ballot voting to turn to Open ballot Voting with Party Agents for APC supervising such illicit activities. A case in mind was that of the visually impaired Voters who called for assistance so as to aid them to see the ballot papers properly and cast their votes for their most preferred presidential and National Assembly candidates. This was taken advantage of during voting by APC Party agents and Political Advisers of Governor Wike who insisted that such Physically challenged persons adhere to their directions at the Polling Units.
Activities of thugs at Polling Units across Rivers state became imminent with hoodlums taking over the activities of INEC workers by announcing names of political [parties where voters should vote and that if any one around has contrary voting choice, he or she should redirect his movement. This resulted to Voters leaving the Voting arena to avoid being lynched.
After the voting process INEC officials were unable to upload Results via the BVAS machines which many voters who waited at the Polling Units insisted that Results must be uploaded in their presence. RAC centres at the various Local Government Areas became another area where commotions and fracas took place throughout the night after voting with Party Agents waiting endlessly for the Results to be physically submitted to INEC RAC Officials for Collation exercises. Suspicion of election Results being short changed went viral all over Rivers state with such tension supporters of Peter Obi of Labour Party were apprehensive that Results from various Polling Units may not reflect voters intended choice which when delivered to RAC Centres may be tampered with along the way to state Collation Centre.
In Rivers state, the INEC Returning Officer Professor Charles Teddy the Vice Chancellor of Federal University of Otuoke Bayelsa state was also accused of playing along with the illicit process that might thwart the will of the people of Rivers state.
