The All Progressives Congress, APC has called for cancellation of last Saturday rerun election in the 23 local government areas of the state, saying it was characterized by violence.
State Chairman of the party, Dr Davies Ikanya who spoke Monday evening, at the state secretariat of the party in Port Harcourt alleged that the Police connived with the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP to manipulate the exercise.
Dr Ikanya who was flanked by the running mate to Dr Dakuku Peterside in the last governorship election, Mr Honourable Asita and other state executives of the party said the election was a sham.
Continuing, he denied allegation by governor Nyesom Wike that notable members of the APC had stormed Mile 1 Police station on Sunday to influence the result of PHALGA, stressing that it was the PDP that allegedly made effort to tinker with the result.
The party Chairman, Dr Ikanya again traded words with governor Wike over the incident at UTC junction on Azikiwe road in Port Harcourt, saying it was clear a attempt to assassinate the governorship candidate of his party, Dr Peterside.
He confirmed that he was in the vehicle, stressing that the Chief of Staff, Government House, Chief Emeka Woke and his team allegedly opened fire on their vehicle with alleged intention to assassinate them.
According to him, the Chief of Staff, Mr Woke and his team trailed their vehicle to UTC , opening fire on them. Meantime, Governor Wike maintained in a statement by his media aide, Mr Simeon Nwakaudu that Dakuku and his team shot at his Chief of Staff, Mr Woke.
The governor explained that the APC leadership attempted to hijack the spread sheet of the rerun election results in Ikwerre local area.
Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has berated the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security operatives that handled the Saturday’s National and State Assembly rerun elections in Rivers.
The party said the outcome of the election was far below average, considering the level of mobilization and preparedness.
The PDP in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh on Monday, said it was disheartening that INEC, under the leadership of Prof. Mahmood Yakubu had not conducted any conclusive election since Buhari assumed power.
The party said the nation and the international community should hold INEC, security operatives and the All Progressives Congress (APC) responsible should there be a breakdown of law and order in the state over the non-release of the final results.
The statement partly read: “Nigerians and the international community can now see the desperation of the APC, which has now arm-twisted INEC in the unholy bid to alter the results of the elections and subvert the will of the people.
“We want the APC and INEC to mark the salient fact that the PDP, the people of Rivers state and indeed all Nigerians are already aware of the results from respective polling centers, wards and local government areas and will in no way whatsoever accept any final result that does not tally with the actual and already established figures from the polling units.
“We wish to remind the APC and INEC that Rivers state is a known stronghold of the PDP and the results from the elections cannot show otherwise. INEC should therefore understand that Nigerians are aware that in withholding the final results, they are ostensibly preparing grounds for chaos in the state.
