Tobias Sylvester
Violence erupted on Monday morning at the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers state.
The violence broke out following a clash between members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over the inspection of electoral materials.
It was gathered the APC governorship gandidate in Rivers, Tonye Cole, and members of his party arrived at the INEC office to inspect materials used for the election that was held on March 18.
The APC members were reportedly forced to turn back by members of the PDP who were already on ground at the INEC office, insisting that both parties inspect the materials at the same time.
The situation caused pandemonium as the PDP members demanded the joint inspection of election results and the Certified True Copies of result sheets for the just-concluded 2023 general elections.
According to reports, the PDP protesters had blocked both the waterlines and GRA areas of Aba road, the two major access points to the INEC head office.
No car was able to drive through that stretch of Aba road from the ground lanes, while those on the GRA flyover were trapped as there was no exit route.
The PDP protest was led by the Deputy Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Edison Ehie who was re-elected in the March 18 election and Samuel Nwanosike, the Chairman of the Ikwerre Local Government Area.
Though the party won the governorship and State Assembly elections, the Deputy Speaker of the Assembly who jointly led the protest, demanded that INEC grant the party a joint inspection of the materials used in conducting the March 18 elections.
The PDP protesters believed that their demand would introduce the level of transparency needed to forestall unnecessary litigations and arguments.
Apart from the demand for joint inspection of materials, some inscriptions on the placards displayed during the protest also request INEC to make available the Certified True Copies of results.
TheCable understands that the situation degenerated into a fracas that led to gunshots and the reported injury of one person.
KanyiDaily recalls that PDP candidate, Siminialayi Fubara, who is the anointed candidate of Nyesom Wike, the outgoing governor of Rivers state, won the Rivers State governorship election.
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