Top officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) on Saturday maintained that the Rivers State Governorship Election on March 9, 2019 witnessed voting at the polling units, with declaration of results at the polling units and Ward Collation Centres.
According to more Local Government Electoral Officers(EOs) of the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) , the Rivers State Governorship election was held on the March 9, 2019 and results were announced and declared at the various polling units, wards collation centres.
Testifying at the Rivers State Governorship Election Tribunal during during a cross examination, INEC Electoral Officer who was in charge of Portharcourt City Local Government, Beejay Agidiomo said elections held across the 587 units and 20 wards in the LGA. He said the results were declared at the units and wards.
Answering questions from the counsel to the PDP, J. Y. Musa (SAN) the Port Harcourt Electoral Officer said that INEC followed all the electoral guidelines .
He said that no INEC officials were arrested or questioned for illegal activities during the 2019 Governorship Election in Port Harcourt because it was free and fair.
The Electoral Officer of Portharcourt City Local Government, Beejay Agidiomo also confirmed that electoral materials were distributed to all the pulling units and wards and there was no destruction of electoral materials on election day.
Responding to a question by Emmanuel Ukala (SAN), counsel to Governor Wike, the Electoral Officer for Port Harcourt City Local Government Area stressed that: “voting, counting collation and declaration took place on the March 9, 2019 at his LGA”.
Also testifying at the Rivers State Governorship Election Tribunal, Electoral Officer for Andoni Local Government Area, Austine Nwana said elections took place in all the 137 pulling units and 11 wards of Andoni LGA.
He said ” I can confirm to you that elections took place in all the pulling units and wards in Andoni”.
He said contrary to claims by one ADP Witness, Jacob Friday, that elections were disrupted in Wards 4 and 9 of Andoni Local Government Area, the Electoral Officer stated that the elections held in the two wards.
He said votes that were recorded at the end of the Governorship election in Andoni Local Government Area were in line with the voting pattern of March 9, 2019.
In his testimony, INEC Electoral Officer who was in charge of Oyigbo Local Government Area, Francis Akarakpa admitted that elections took place in Oyigbo LGA during the March 9, 2019 Rivers Governorship Election, but noted that after the collation of results, the PDP agent refused to sign the result sheet while the AAC Party agent signed at the collation centre.
The Rivers State Governorship Election Tribunal under the chairmanship of Justice J.A. Orjiako adjourned sitting to July 23, 2019 for continuation of Cross Examination in the petition filed by Mr Victor Fingesi of the ADP.
It will be recalled that last Thursday, Five INEC Electoral Officers stated that the Governorship Election on March 9, 2019 was conducted in line with the Electoral Act and INEC Guidelines.
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