The Rivers State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Sunday alleged the use of the Government House police security “to cart away electoral materials, rig and cause general disruption in the Saturday PHALGA 3 State Constituency bye-election” in the state.

“In the full view of the general public, the Chief Security Officer (CSO) to Gov. Nyesom Wike led armed policemen attached to the Government House to assault innocent APC party agents and supporters, snatch electoral sensitive materials and generally disrupt the bye-election with a view to rigging the process in favour of the PDP candidate or in some cases prevent lawful voters from exercising their franchise,” Rivers APC alleged in a press statement issued today in Port Harcourt by its Publicity Secretary Chris Finebone.

According to Finebone, “It was with heavy heart that APC leaders, members and the public watched on as the PDP and their officials in Rivers State used policemen and armed militants to cause fracas in some wards during the bye-election in PHALGA 3, Rivers State. The sad development happened in the same fashion that PDP had deployed in rigging elections in the past especially during the 2015 elections and the rerun elections that followed.”

Rivers APC condemned “the blatant intervention in the bye-election process in PHALGA 3 by Gov. Wike’s CSO using policemen attached to the Government House, against the established guideline that such policemen are barred from accompanying officials of government to polling stations on Election Day.”

“However, the APC applauded the brave intervention by security agents that ensured that the activities of the PDP did not substantially affect the overall outcome of the bye-election,” the statement said.

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