Rivers: Governorship election did not hold in our polling units – Witnesses

Eight witnesses on Thursday told the Rivers State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abuja that the 2015 governorship election did not hold in their various polling units.
The witnesses told the tribunal that the March 28 presidential poll and April 11 governorship elections were characterised by irregularities.
They gave their testimonies during cross-examination by Counsels to the 1st respondent, the Independent National Electoral Commission; the 2nd respondent, Governor Nyesom Wike; and the 3rd respondent, the Peoples Democratic Party.
The News Agency of Nigeria recalled that the All Progressives Congress and its candidate, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, had filed a petition before the tribunal seeking the nullification of the governorship election.
The party sought the nullification of the poll on the ground that it was marked by irregularities and fraudulent practices.
Jack Tamunosaki, the APC collation officer in Akukatalu Local Government Area, said there was no election in the 13 polling units in Ward 12 where he monitored.
Tamunosaki stated this during cross-examination by Ikpeazu Onyechi, counsel to INEC; Chris Uche, PDP counsel; and Emmanuel Ukala, Wike’s counsel.
Tamunosaki said: “I did not see any election materials at the centre where they are supposed to be displaced.
“My job for my party is to cover the 13 polling units.
“I arrived at the collation centre as early as 6:30am.”
The APC collation officer also alleged that there was shooting and explosion of dynamites in some of the polling units in Abolima.
He said: “The shooting started at about 7pm on the 10th of April up till April 11 in Abolima town.
“I was in my ward up till 11pm on that day and till the next day, there was no electoral materials.”
Tamunosaki also claimed there was also no accreditation of voters during the governorship poll.
John Lekova-Kootte, another collation officer who testified for the APC, said result sheets were not declared openly for the officers at the centre to see.
Lekova-Kootte said the election materials for the ward he supervised were removed to unknown destination by some PDP officials, adding that there was no collation at the centre.
Mactarlane Dimabo, Ibifagha Adiesigha and Tamuno Bristol, collation officers for Wards 5, 6 and 12 respectively, said materials like ballot papers, result sheets and ballot boxes were not made public.
They alleged that hired thugs intimidating voters, adding that most of the INEC ad-hoc staff were card carrying members of the PDP.
Jas Nyone and Charlie Krukrubo, APC collation officers who testified, said election materials were distributed at their polling units after 2pm.
They alleged that thugs overpowered policemen in the centres.
They also alleged that ballot boxes were snatched and APC party members were beaten during the poll.
NAN.