PDP Wins as INEC concludes Collation of results for Etche/ Omuma Federal Constituency

PDP also wins Etche State Constituency  2

Governor Wike  declares that Rivers people  will continue to  resist  rigging by INEC and security agencies

RESULTS: ETCHE/ OMUMAFEDERAL CONSTITUENCY: APC 6220 PDP 15,221

ETCHE STATE CONSTITUENCY 2: APC 1618 PDP 4162

The Peoples Democratic Party  ( PDP) has won the  Etche/ Omuma Federal Constituency after INEC  Returning Officer, Prof Shola Omotola  completed the collation  of results at the Collation Center  at Okehi.

With the  results  collated from the Supplementary Elections of February  25, 2017 and rerun elections  of December 10, 2016, Chief Jerome Eke  of the PDP  defeated  Mr Ogbonna Nwuke  of the APC.

Also, the Tony Ejiogu  of the Peoples Democratic Party defeated his closest challenger, Mr Golden of the APC.

For the Etche/ Omuma Federal Constituency, Returning Officer, Prof Shola Omotola announced that APC  Polled 6, 220 votes while PDP polled 15, 221 votes.

For the Etche State Constituency 2, Returning Officer, Oluwatosin Odusonya announced that APC  scored 1618 votes while PDP polled 4162 votes.

As the two INEC  Returning Officers  for the Etche/ Omuma Federal Constituency, Prof   Shola Omotola and  Etche Constituency 2, Oluwatosin Odusonya were about to declare  the PDP  winner, military personnel  at the Collation Center  brought a phone to them, claiming that the  call was from the National Commissioner  of  INEC in charge of the election.

Upon receiving  the call, INEC Returning Officer  for Etche/ OmumaFederal Constituency, Prof Shola Omotola  stated that all collated results should be  moved to the Port Harcourt office of INEC.

Soldiers of the Nigerian Army who stopped the declaration  at Okehi moved the collated results alongside party agents and political leaders to Port Harcourt.  They were joined by PDP  leaders led by Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike  and the APC Candidate for Etche/ Omuma Federal Constituency, Mr Ogbonna Nwuke.

At the headquarters, leaders of the two parties insisted that the two INEC Returning Officers  publicly announce collated results  to the media and party agents present.

After the announcement, the INEC Returning Officers handed the  already  collated results  to party agents.

Party leaders  left INEC  by 3.30am on Sunday  morning, while agents  and security  agencies  were detailed to  stay with the INEC  Returning Officers  for the declaration of results  by 9am on Sunday, 26th February, 2017.

The Returning Officers claimed that they were directed by the National Commissioner  not to declare PDP  winner  of the two elections.  They claimed that  the National Commissioner  said she must get clearance  from Abuja, before  any further step would be  taken.

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike  condemned  the act of trying to subvert the will of the people Rivers State  through INEC Result manipulation, backed reckless  security agencies.

He said Rivers people  will continue  to  resist all fraudulent  attempts  to manipulate  election  results.  He declared  that elections  can only be won at the polling  units  and not through the swapping of result sheets by security agencies and INEC.

Simeon Nwakaudu,

Special Assistant to the Rivers State Governor, Electronic Media.

26th February, 2017.