Finally, INEC concludes Rivers polls, as PDP wins Amaechi at home

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) winner of the rerun elections in Etche/Omuma Federal Constituency and Etche State Constituency II or Rivers State.

The announcement finally brings to an end, a round of federal and state legislative elections in the state that have severally been postponed by the electoral body for different reasons since 2015.

Announcing the results for Etche/Omuma federal constituency seat, the returning officer, Professor Shola Omotala, said Mr Jerome Eke of the PDP garnered 15,221 votes to beat the All Progressives Congress, APC, which polled 6,220 votes.

Likewise, Oluwatosin Odusonya who announced the results for Etche state constituency 2, declared Mr Tony Ejiogu of PDP who polled 4,162 votes winner, while APC polled 1,618.

With the results, former governor of the state and current minister of transport, Rotimi Amaechi has effectively lost his home constituency to the opposition.

As is the case with elections in the country, the final results attracted different reactions from stakeholders.

While the winning PDP hailed the exercise, the losing party, the APC condemned the results, and alleged inconsistencies in the exercise.

APC state publicity secretary, Mr. Chris Finebone, in a statement issued in Port Harcourt said: “Yesterday’s (Saturday) supplementary rerun elections for Etche State Constituency and Etche/Omuma Federal Constituency were formally declared inconclusive by the Returning Officers, Prof. Olatunbosun Odusanya and Prof. Omotola respectively at Okehi, Saturday.

“They subsequently announced that the conclusion of the process will take place today (Sunday) or on Monday.

“However, we are taken aback by signals indicating that the National Electoral Commissioner in charge, Mrs. May Agbamuche-Mbu, has ordered that the incomplete results be declared despite the earlier declaration by the two returning officers on Saturday at Okehi that the elections were inconclusive.”

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According to him, announcement of the results by any INEC officer other than the returning officers would be in violation of the Electoral Act.

On his part, state Chairman of PDP, Felix Obuah, “hailed the uncommon courage of members of the party and the good people of Etche and Omuma who ensured victory for the PDP during Saturday’s re-run legislative elections in the area, even in the face of harassment, intimidation, attacks, maiming and arrests of innocent PDP members by men of the army and police”.

The PDP chairman described what he termed the interference and involvement of the military and men of the Nigeria Police in electoral processes as worrisome and condemnable, warning that it could portend a great danger for Nigeria’s democracy.

He congratulated the candidates of the PDP, Chief Jerome Eke, (Etche/Omuma Federal Constituency) and Hon. Tony Ejiogu, (Etche State Constituency II) for emerging winners, and the people of Etche/Omuma for voting for the PDP.

 

 

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