Some armed soldiers and policemen stormed the heavily guarded Port Harcourt City Local Government secretariat along Bank Road. Amid intense shooting, they attempted to chase people out of the collation centre in a bid to stop the declaration of the Rivers East senatorial election results, but some PDP members refused to give in to the harassment.
The security men while inside the collation centre, pounced on an
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) official who identified herself as Ms. Mary, and injured her.
As the traumatised lady was being rushed to an hospital for treatment, she narrated her ordeal in the hands of the security agents: “They hit me with chair, they slapped me, I was molested.”
The security personnel arrested and attempted to whisk away the PDP agent and Commissioner for Urban Development, Chinyere Igwe whom they accused of having fake results, but some senior police officers intervened and he was let alone.
Amid the pandemonium that ensued, Governor Wike and members of the state executive council arrived at the scene and besieged the place. Sensing that it would be futile to attempt to prevent the announcement of the results, the security men retreated and drove away, shooting sporadically into the air.
Shortly after their departure, the returning officer for the Rivers East election, Prof. Orji Onu Okumenkama declared that Sekibo polled 93,098 votes to defeat his APC rival, Andrew Uchendu who scored 34193 votes.
Addressing PDP supporters afterwards, Wike said it was embarrassing that the Federal Government could allegedly deploy the apparatus of state to conquer Rivers State over an election.
“Rivers people were murdered for just a simple legislative seat. The Federal Government came with all their might that they must conquer Rivers State, but God has said you cannot conquer. We don’t have the power to withstand them but God showed that He is in charge of all battles and He has taken care of all battles. Just because they want to win a seat, they want people to be in Abuja, they decided to take peoples blood.
“All those who masterminded the killing of these innocent people, may their blood be on their head.
“They should be ashamed. They sent all the resources, states that cannot pay salaries were contributing to conquer Rivers State. States that cannot even do one project were bringing money for elections, and all they could get is one senatorial seat. We have gotten two senatorial seats. We have Rivers West and Rivers East.
“Do not be intimidated, what has just happened will never happen in 2019. We will also be prepared,” the governor said.
•Adapted from a Guardian report.
