The governorship candidate of the African Action Congress in Rivers State, Biokpomabo Awara, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission to declare him the governor-elect of last Saturday poll.
Biokpomabo, who made this call on Monday when he spoke with newsmen in Port Harcourt, demanded the redeployment of the State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Obo Effanga, for alleged incompetence.
He alleged that Effanga appointed card-carrying members of the Peoples Democratic Party as INEC ad hoc employees.
The AAC candidate maintained that, based on the figures made available to him by his party agents from seven local government areas, he was ahead of the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Nyesom Wike.
He alleged that INEC decided to suspend the electoral process because the Commission was aware that he was coasting to victory.
Biokpomabo pointed out that he rejected the reasons for violence, seizure of election materials by hoodlums and insecurity given by INEC for the suspension of the governorship election in the state.
He said, “The results already declared at the aforesaid local government collation centres should be accepted.
“INEC should declare me Awara Biokpomabo of the African Action Congress the winner of the 09-03-2019 governorship election in the state.
“The State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr. Obo Effanga, should be immediately redeployed for gross incompetence.
“The State REC has not been able to conclude any election in Rivers State since he took over the office. The PHALGA Constituency 111 State Assembly election is a case in point.”
Continuing, Awara said, “Results had already been collated and declared before INEC suspended the remaining stages of the election, which I was in clear lead and was coasting to victory.
“Some of the unit results announced at the polling units in the local government areas where collations were not concluded clearly before the suspension of the processes showed that I won over 15 local government areas.
“INEC pleaded insecurity, violence, seizure of electoral materials by hoodlums, etc., as the reasons for suspending the remaining stages of the election. I reject the reasons given by INEC.
“This is because in the local government areas that were affected, voting had been concluded, results declared at the polling units and collation had begun before the abrupt suspension of the process.
“The Commission does not have the power under our Electoral Act to suspend elections that have already been concluded.”
Reacting, the State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Emma Okah, said, “My reply is simple; Governor Nyesom Wike does not need to touch any electoral material because, in every unit and ward in Rivers State, even the blind can see him, the deaf can hear the name Nyesom Wike.
“Also, they can see the party logo. Governor Wike’s victory is a divine one that will defeat the combined efforts of AAC candidate and his sponsors.”
However, Effanga stated that INEC had always followed in the appointment of officers and added that each potential appointee was told that they could not serve as electoral officers if they were partisan.
