As Rivers People Vote For New Council Chairmen, Councilors, Wike’s Men Embark On Walk-Out
2 min readFrom Obio/Akpor to Bonny Local Government Areas, registered voters went out to vote for new chairmen and councilors on Saturday, even though the turn-out was expectedly very low in many parts of the state.
But while others were casting their votes, some youths and political leaders believed to be loyalists of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike were engaged in physical fitness exercise along Aba Road. Intermittently though, they made statements to the effect that the state electoral commission ought to obey a court order issued in Abuja and suspend the election.
They walked from the GRA axis towards the state independent electoral commission, RSIEC, where they also addressed journalists present. According to them, there was no election because the people that ought to have voted were with them on the protest walk.
TNN noticed that virtually all parts of Port Harcourt was turned to a football field in the early hours of the day, before electoral officers got to some of the polling units with the materials to accredit and allow the voters to exercise their franchise.
From Eneka to the Oil Mill axis down to Rumuomasi, Stadium Road as well as the Eliozu-Airforce Road, there were no vehicular movements, while pockets of policemen were sighted in some parts of the town.
In parts of Abua/Odual Local Government, there was massive turn out of voters, just as some voters also turned out in Tai, Emohua and Ahoada Local Governments.
As voting commenced, there was no report of violence anywhere in Port Harcourt, apart from the bombing of the secretariat of a faction of the APC. There was heavy presence of policemen at the ACP secretariat located near the Bridge Bus Stop, along Aba Road.
But in Etche, there were reports of violence. Sounds of gun shots were heard, while one person was feared killed. There were reports of peaceful election in Bonny and Andoni.
In Degema, there was a protest around Harris Town as voting materials had not arrived as at 8am, but in units one and two, ward 8 at the community primary school, Rumuomasi, materials were said to have arrived early.
TNN noticed that the BVAS machine was not in use, but accreditation was done manually. The moment voters’ names were found on the register, they were allowed to vote.
In the Oyigbo axis, normal trading took place at the Oyigbo market along the Aba Road. In other parts of Oyigbo however, there was massive turn –out in and the voters were orderly, even though there was no police presence.