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Rivers By-Election: APC, Govt Trade Blames over Suspension

Published

8 years ago

August 19, 2018

Eric

The All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Rivers State Government have been trading blames over the suspension of Saturday’s by-election for Port Harcourt III Constituency.

The election was meant to fill the vacancy created in the state House of Assembly when the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) member who represented the constituency resigned to contest the for the mayor of Port Harcourt, which he won.

The PDP, which is the ruling party in the state, has been in a fierce, and oftentimes bloody, political battle with the APC which controls the government at the centre.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), while announcing the suspension of voting on Saturday, said there was widespread violence and ballot-stealing by “miscreants and hoodlums accompanied by heavily armed security personnel in uniform”.

The commission said many of its officials were manhandled, injured, and held hostage.

Few hours after the suspension, the APC issued a statement blaming the Rivers State Government for the election violence.

“In the full view of the general public, the Chief Security Officer (CSO) to Gov. Nyesom Wike led armed policemen attached to the Government House to assault innocent APC party agents and supporters, snatch electoral sensitive materials and generally disrupt the bye-election with a view to rigging the process in favour of the PDP candidate or in some cases prevent lawful voters from exercising their franchise,” the APC spokesperson in the state, Chris Finebone, said in the statement.

Mr Finebone, however, in another statement said the APC was disappointed with “the hasty decision” of INEC to suspend the election.

He said, “The APC views the wording of the memo suspending the PHALGA 3 bye-election as substantially mendacious, unnecessarily alarmist and generally convoluted with sinister innuendos by the author in a way that does not represent an accurate assessment of the process so far.

“We hope that INEC will not be misled to derail or embark on a line of action that will leave her with a legal bad nose. This will neither be to the benefit of INEC nor the system in any way.”

The Rivers government on the hand is accusing the APC of being behind the election violence.

The state governor, Nyesom Wike, said on Sunday in a statewide broadcast, “while voting was underway, armed thugs from the APC led by the state’s factional chairman, Mr. Flag Ojukaye Amachree moved freely from one polling unit to the other, violently assaulted voters as well as INEC officials and carted away election materials, including smart card readers and ballot boxes.

“Flag Amachree and his gang of thugs successfully disrupted the elections in nearly all the 142 units of the constituency, thereby disenfranchising the electorates.”

Mr Wike alleged that those whom he said disrupted the election were protected by “heavily armed Police operatives from the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (F-SARS) and the Inspector General of Police’s Monitoring Unit”.

He said Rivers people have lost confidence in the ability of the police to stay impartial in future elections in the state.

“If the Nigerian Police cannot secure and guarantee the peaceful and successful conduct of election in a single State Constituency of 8 wards, then what will happen in 2019 when they would be contending with 319 electoral wards and 4442 polling units across 23 Local Government Areas of the state?

“Against the backdrop, it is up to the people of Rivers State to choose the option that will serve their interest,” the governor said.

The Commissioner for Information in the state, Emma Okah, while supporting the governor’s position on the issue, told PREMIUM TIMES that there was no way PDP would have disrupted an election they “vigorously” campaigned and were sure of victory.

The police spokesperson in Rivers State, Nnamdi Omoni, told PREMIUM TIMES, Sunday evening, that the commissioner of police would be issuing a statement on the allegation by Governor Wike that the police aided the APC to disrupt the election.

Meanwhile, the APC is calling on INEC to “swiftly” conclude the election and declare the winner, while the state government is against the release of the results of the suspended election.

“It will be strange for anybody in his right senses to support the release of results in an election that can best be described as broad daylight robbery by the APC and Nigeria police. The INEC and independent observers are all in agreement that there was no election and so there is nothing to declare,” the information commissioner, Mr Okah said.

Premium Times

Featured

Certificate Forgery: Group Seeks Tinubu’s Disqualification from 2027 Election

Published

1 day ago

June 29, 2026

Eric

The Centre for Reform and Public Advocacy (CFRPA) has filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Kano seeking the disqualification of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu from the 2027 presidential election over allegations of certificate forgery.

‎According to court documents seen by Daily Trust, the plaintiff alleged that Tinubu presented forged academic certificates from Chicago State University and a fake National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) during the 2023 elections.

‎‎The suit, marked FHC/K/CS/312/2026, lists Tinubu, INEC, and Chicago State University as defendants.

‎The plaintiff contended that Tinubu never attended Government College Lagos as claimed, noting that the school was established in 1974, four years after Tinubu allegedly graduated.

The CSO further argued that Tinubu does not possess a valid secondary school certificate, which is the minimum constitutional requirement to contest for the presidency.

‎It claimed that INEC had failed to act on its petition dated June 19, 2026, demanding clarification on Tinubu’s eligibility.

‎‎In its statement of claims, the group referenced a 2023 U.S. court ruling in In Re: Application of Atiku Abubakar (No. 23 CV 05099), which compelled Chicago State University to release Tinubu’s academic records.

‎The plaintiff insisted those records revealed false entries and inconsistencies, including a forged University of Cambridge General Certificate of Education.

‎The prayers asked by the plaintiff included declaration of forgery against Tinubu’s Chicago State University certificate, issuance of an order directing INEC to disqualify him from the 2027 presidential election, directing CSU to strike Tinubu’s name from its records and perpetual injunction restraining INEC from uploading Tinubu’s name as a candidate.

‎The plaintiff also submitted affidavits of non-multiplicity of action, witness statements, and letters to the NYSC and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, demanding disclaimers on the alleged fake NYSC certificate.

Featured

Lagos Island Red Cross Holds Annual Thanksgiving Service

Published

2 days ago

June 28, 2026

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

The Lagos Island Division of the Nigerian Red Cross Society, has held its 2026 Annual Thanksgiving, to express gratitude for another year of provision of succor and comfort to as many that are in need.

The thanksgiving service, which was held at the Cathedral Church of Christ, Marina, Lagos, on the last Sunday of June, was led by the Division Coordinator, Chief (Olori) Aderonke Elegushi.

Speaking to The Boss on the activities of the Island Division of the Red Cross over the years, Olori Elegushi noted that it has been a thing of joy to be at the forefront of releasing the milk of human kindness to as many that needs it, and when they need it.

Coordinator, Lagos Island Division Nigerian Red Cross Society, Chief (Olori) Aderonke Elegushi (m), Vice Coordinator Abimbola Adeshile (2nd left), Secretary Ajibola Adu (2md right) and Saheed Ayinde Yusuf (1st right)

“This is what I love to do, and this is what the Red Cross is all about; lending helping hand and spreading love across borders, especially here in Lagos Island.

“In everything, we won’t forget our Maker, the Almighty God, through whose power we are able to do the little and much we can do. That explains why we here today to give thanks as it’s a tradition every year,” Olori Elegushi said.

Olori Elegushi also noted that as an not for profit organization, the Society seeks support well-meaning Nigerians and Lagosians to come to their aid so that the gospel of continuous lending of helping hand to the needy will continue unabated.

“We also seek the support of well-meaning individuals, organizations, and the Church in our efforts to expand our humanitarian activities. With adequate funding and partnerships, we can organize first aid and health awareness programmes for public school students, train more volunteers, equip communities with emergency preparedness skills, and carry out outreach programmes that will positively impact lives across our society,” she concluded.

Olori Elegushi, who will soon join the octogenarian club, was accompanied at the thanksgiving event, by Vice Coordinator Abimbola Adeshile, Secretary Ajibola Adu, Saheed Ayinde Yusuf, and a host of other members, dressed in their sparkling white uniform.

The Red Cross Society is an international organizational saddled with the responsibility of providing healthcare services among other humanitarian services to the people of the world. The Society is domiciled in every part of the world.

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Insecurity: Adeboye, Oyedepo Urge More US Military Action in Nigeria

Published

2 days ago

June 28, 2026

Eric

The General Overseer of Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, and Founder of Living Faith Church Worldwide, Bishop David Oyedepo, have thanked U.S. President Donald Trump for recent military action against terrorism in Nigeria, urging Washington to do more to halt the unrelenting attacks.

Both clerics spoke at the “Faith Heroes Award Gala” in Washington D.C. on June 26, 2026, organised by Save Nigeria Group USA, SNGUSA, with the US-Nigeria Civil Society Coalition.

The event honoured Trump, Congressmen Chris Smith and Riley Moore, and other advocates of religious freedom in Nigeria.

Addressing a packed audience of activists, policymakers and faith leaders at the Hilton Garden Inn, Capitol Hill, Adeboye said the scale of violence has moved beyond what any religious leader can handle alone.

“Terrorism is now at my doorstep,” he said. “If you want to help us, help us more.”

The RCCG leader, who had faced criticism for not speaking out earlier, said he chose “spiritual warfare” instead of public escalation. He noted that Trump’s December strikes on terrorist camps did not surprise him because the U.S. President had warned of consequences.