Palpable anxiety and uncertainty have enveloped the atmosphere in Rivers state as the people patiently wait for INEC to reel out the results of Saturday’s re-run elections.
This is as frontline political gladiators – the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi and the Governor, Nyesom Wike – seem to have taken total control of the fate of Rivers state.
The Court of Appeal had ordered re-run elections in 23 Local Government Areas, 319 Wards and 4,442 Polling Units.
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Yesterday’s elections held amid tight security, violence, and other impediments.
The Commissioner for Water Resources in the state, Ibiba Walter was kidnapped by unknown persons.
He was later released early Sunday morning after keeping him away from the election.
The Secretary to the Rivers state Government, Kenneth Kobani was also arrested by the Military for trying to allegedly compromise the election process.
Similarly, a Sportscaster and Special Adviser to Governor Wike on Special Projects, Cyril Dum-Wite was arrested at Khana with fake military uniforms and N3million cash.
So far, INEC has suspended election in 8 Local government areas of Andoni, Tai, Bonny, Khana, Gokana, Eleme and Asari-Toru.
The Resident Electoral Commission, Aniedi Ikoiwak told newsmen that, “Actually we deployed our electoral materials since Thursday and today we have had the experience that most of our materials were not allowed to move from the RAC centres and even when we tried to deploy to the RACs, we were accosted.
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“In the overall, we are hearing reports that elections held. We had a situation where elections were not allowed to hold in some places.”
The current level of uncertainty that perveades Rivers has never been felt before in the history of the state.
A day after the election, results are still yet to be announced although some figures are being posted on social media. The two main political parties, PDP and APC kept vigil at collation centres all over the state.
Wike had directed all members of the PDP in the state to storm collation centres to monitor sorting and counting of votes cast.
Interestingly, for the first time in many years, Amaechi and Wike met ‘eye-to-eye’ at Mile One Police Division, Diobu, Port Harcourt.
Reports say that a certain Electoral Officer in-charge of a Ward in Port Harcourt Constituency who is working for a certain political party had taken refuge at the Police station for fear of being lynched by the already anxious mob.
Both the Minister and the Governor stormed the Police station with their followers and security aides. A clash was averted.
However, the anxiety continues as Rivers people await the outcome of the re-run elections.
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