The declaration by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to suspend further action on the Port Harcourt Constituency 3 bye-election at the collation stage is now a thing of concern to politicians and electorate in Rivers State.
An advocacy group, The Mobilizers, is calling on INEC to renege on its decision to suspend action on the bye-election and declare the results already in its custody in the interest of the constituents who voted despite threats and dangers they were exposed to.
Leader of the group, Gloria Boma Harry, during a chat with journalists said, as an advocacy group with the mandate to protect voters’ rights, it would be unpatriotic for The Mobilizers to sit back and watch an attempt by disgruntled politicians to jeopardize a frail democracy.
Harry stressed that despite reports of shootings at some polling units, allegedly masterminded by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, the electoral process was a clear reflection of the electorates’ resolve to enthrone a credible and people oriented representative.
She urged the State INEC resident commissioner, Obo Effanga, to as a matter of urgency declare the results which have been collated by ad-hoc and permanent INEC personnel assigned to conduct the bye-election, with the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Dickens Worlu, having more votes .
She further noted that Effanga should resist attempts by Governor Nyesom Wike and agents of PDP to coarse or intimidate him and his team with the view to change the outcome of the bye-election as was witnessed in 2015 when death threats were publicly issued by Wike, asking INEC officials to write their will before coming to conduct elections in the state.
She warned that any contrary action will not only rob the electorate their constitutional rights but will also set the stage for mayhem and violence during the upcoming general elections.
