The Rivers State Independent Elecotral Commission (RSIEC) has declared the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chairmanship candidate, Mr. Austin Ahiamadu winner of the Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA election held on Saturday 2nd March, 2013.
It has also declared PDP councillorship candidates winners in the 17 wards in the area.
Professor Augustine Ahauzu the Chairman of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) announced this on Sunday after the Saturday council poll at the RSIEC office Aba Road, Port Harcourt.
According to him, the PDP chairmanship candidate, Mr. Austine Ahiamadu polled 37, 570 votes out of 40,436 votes cast to defeat 7 candidates from other political parties who participated in the elections. Action Alliance who scored 18 votes, ADC 105, ANPP 161, CPP 001, NNPP 178, SDMP 20 and APGA 19 while at the councillorship level, the Peoples Democratic Party won in all the wards.
The RSIEC boss who monitored the lections with other officials and commissioners of the commission expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the election, describing it as transparent, peaceful free and fair, adding that there were adequate materials during the election.
Prof. Ahiauzu who commended journalists for their participation in monitoring the election also lauded the people of ONELGA for conducting themselves peacefully and maturely during the election, revealing that the Oyigbo ward 8 re-run election will be conducted this week Saturday and urged journalists to participate.
PDP Chieftains who spoke to journalists during the elections commended RSIEC for conducting peaceful election, describing it as free and fair.
According to Hon. Ego Pola Ahiakwu, the PDP Vice Chairmanship candidate in ONELGA who was councilor ward 6 in the area described the election as peaceful, assuring that she would represent her people and women effectively.
Mrs. Felicia Ohaka, administrator in ONELGA who noted that there was no problem during the election, called on the incoming administration to build daily market for women of Obigwe in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA.
Barr. Osi Olisa who described the election as peaceful, free and fair noted that the people of ONELGA have demonstrated their eagerness to make a change by voting a credible chairman and councilors who will improve the lives of people of the area, expressing assurance that the best candidates have emerged at the end of the election.
Meanwhile, the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) councillorship candidates have called on the chairman of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) to nullify the Saturday council poll in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA.
Mr. Daniel C. Nwoko the APGA councillorship candidate in ward 2 Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA who spoke to The Newswriter during the election, described the last Saturday ONELGA council poll as election full of malpractice and massive thumb printing of electoral ballot papers, alleging that some of the PDP members conspired with RSIEC officials to thumb print the electoral papers in ward 2 units 1, 5, 8 and 14.
According to him, “in ward 2 unit 8, there was no election, the RSIEC officials willingly gave the ballot papers to some PDP members and they were busy thumb printing, when the news got to me I went with my brothers inside the house of Hon. Emmanuel Osi, a former councilor in ONELGA and we caught them red handed so we grabbed one of them and collected their ballot papers, then they chased us with their bikes and car, I ran to a hidden place for about some minutes past 3pm, they could not get me and went back”.
Mr. Nwoko further explained that in his ward, which is ward 2 unit 1 there was no specific time for accreditation and voting, revealing that the outgoing councilor in the area name withheld openly ordered RSIEC officials to release ballot boxes for massive thumb printing and openly said it is not their job to go inside the rooms to check for ballot papers, but she wrote it down”.
Mr. Nwoko who expressed dissatisfaction with the conduct of the election, urged the RSIEC to nullify the elections in ONELGA.
Hon. Peter Okorie the APGA councillorship candidate in ward 6 ONELGA also expressed dismay over the high level of irregularity and thumb printing of ballot papers in the ONELGA council elections. He further alleged that PDP members refused the opposition from exercising their franchise at the election.
He however called on the RSIEC to nullify the election.
Meanwhile, some of the PDP members who spoke to The Newswriter described the election as free and fair.
According to Chief John Eke in ward 8 unit 14, the conduct of the election was very smooth and peaceful no problem, although the turn out was not encouraging like the previous elections but the conduct was okay.
Vincent Ake of the Rivers State Ministry of Information said most of the people in the area belong to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and we want the party to win. He expressed optimism that PDP will win at the end of the day.
Mr. Dike Ogwe a stakeholder in ONELGA, described the election as peaceful and expressed satisfaction with the turn out of the electorate.
According to him, “we voted for our candidate and we know he would do well in office if elected.” ###
Emeka Jilly Ejiowhor
