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Dame Gesila Khan addressing reporters (Image source:
NTA)
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Reacting
to allegations by the Rivers State Governor HE Rotimi Amaechi, Of All
Progressives Congress (APC), that INEC is manipulating the elections by not
distributing Result Sheets to several Polling Units, the Rivers State Resident
Electoral Commissioner (REC), Dame Gesila Khan said these claims were false and
calculated to portray her in bad light with the public, GRAPHITTI NEWS reports.
Addressing
news reporters the REC claimed that it was inaccurate for the Governor to claim
that interference on the part of the ruling party, the Peoples Democratic Party
(PDP), has adversely influenced the result of the contest.
Besides
if there were challenges with the situation she was the first person for the
Governor to have contacted.
However other news agency reports
had detailed events at the commencement of the election exercise across the State
Election materials started arriving polling units from 9.am. Reporters were at Tombia Road
polling unit, GRA, Port Harcourt at 9.20
am. Over 30 voters had already arrived and were waiting for the arrival of INEC
officials.
Electoral officials were loading materials into buses guarded by
security agents including the police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps,
Nigerian Prisons, Nigerian Customs Service and Nigerian Immigration Service.
At Ikwere Local Government, home of the state governor, PREMIUM TIMES reported
running into Governor Rotimi Amaechi at Omuanwu Ward, Omute Playground Unit. At
the unit, Governor Amaechi was told that INEC has supplied all the materials
except the result sheets. The voters argued that they would not be accredited
until the result sheets are brought to the centre.
Responding, a visibly angry Mr. Amaechi said INEC is deliberately
undermining the electoral laws by not supplying result sheets in the local
government area.
"You can see that the result sheets have not been brought here.
The same thing is happening all over the local government area," said Governor
Amaechi.
"We have therefore resolved not to be involved in the election
until the result sheets are brought.
"This is my local government area and this is happening. The same
thing is happening all over the place."
After talking to journalists at the unit, Governor Amaechi, who drove
himself in a bullet-proof BMW jeep, turned and drove towards his family
compound in Obima but was stopped by a detachment of troops led by the
Commander of the 2nd Brigade, Nigeria Army, Bori Camp, Brigadier General Essien
Essien.
A minor altercation ensued between Governor Essien and the governor
over the legality of Mr. Amaechi moving around with a convoy while election is
going on.
Governor Amaechi told the army boss the problem voters were
encountering in the area and noted that as the governor of the state, he has
the right to make sure that elections are conducted within the ambit of the
law. "Brigade Commander, why are you mountings two road blocks near my
father's compound," he said.
"Are you being sent by President Jonathan to kill me? I had told
the world that President Jonathan is trying to kill me and I am saying it
again."
Gen Essien denied being given any instruction to kill anybody and asked
the governor to go back to his home and stop moving about.
"His Excellency, we have instructions not to allow people who are
not duly accredited not to move around during the election," Gen Essien
said.
"That is why we are advising you to go back to your house and wait
there until the election is over."
The brigade commander also told the governor that the military was not
blocking his house, adding that they had instructions to ensure that law and
order is maintained.
The argument became a bit heated when the governor said he was going
back to Government House on Port Harcourt to wait until the result sheets are
brought for him to come and vote.
When Gen Essien insisted that the governor must go back to his family
house and wait, Mr. Amaechi said he would not, adding that the Brigade
Commander can arrest him if that is what he wants to do.
Putting out his two hands in front towards the Brigade Commander, Governor
Amaechi said, "Arrest me if that's what you want to do or allow me return
to Government House I'm Port Harcourt. There is nobody in this house. It is my
father's house. I don't have a house in my village."
After about 12 minutes of argument between the two, Gen. Essien allowed
Governor Amaechi to drive back with his convoy to Port Harcourt but advised him
not to stop anywhere along the road to monitor the election.
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