Chief Uchendu Faults The Outcome of December 10, 2016, Rivers East Re-run Election

The Candidate of the All Progressives Congress for the just past Rivers East Re-run Election in Rivers State, Chief Andrew Igbonule Uchendu, OON, has raised mind-blowing issues, salient posers, and his next line of actions, as relating to the gross electoral irregularities, executive impunity, and institutional bias, that prevailed over the election in view.

Chief Uchendu, while addressing a vast array of his teeming supporters cutting across every nook and cranny of Rivers East Senatorial District on Friday 6, January, 2017, briefly highlighted his political journey thus far in Rivers State, all in a bid to set the records straight. According to the Harvard-trained technocrat cum politician, his political sojourn began in 1994, when Ogbakor Ikwerre Worldwide, under the able leadership of Chief Gideon O. Omodu, the ‘Ochi Oha the 8th of Ikwerre Land. He recalled that it was through this line of socio-cultural foundation that he was directed to prepare and contest as a delegate to the 1994/1995 National Constitutional Conference to represent the good people of Ikwerre Land.

The strongman of Rivers politics told the listening crowd that between 2003 to 2015, that he had the rare opportunity of representing Ikwerre/Emohua Federal Constituency in the Federal House of Representatives. He also stated that on the 28th of March 2011, he contested as the Senatorial Candidate of Rivers East Senatorial District under the auspices of the All Progressives Congress (APC), against Senator George Sekibo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

However, because of the level of wanton electoral irregularities/malpractices and widespread violence in that contest, Chief Uchendu said that he had no other sane option than to challenge the purported outcome which he eventually won at the Rivers State Election Petition Tribunal, on the 10th of December, 2015.

Chief Uchendu also recalled that INEC further opened up an opportunity for a Re-run Election on the 10th of December, 2016, the result of which was announced on the 12th of December, 2016. Chief strongly stressed that because the outcome of that rerun election was marred by electoral irregularities, malpractices and executive impunity, that his party supporters and himself have sat down to gather facts and evidences as they relate to that election, all in an effort to take an acceptable position for the good people of Rivers East Senatorial District and, indeed Rivers State at large.

"Ordinarily, having made two attempts, one may have been expected to accept whatever outcome of the last re-run election, but I find it most difficult to do so, considering the high level of official collusion, massive irregularities, and outright assault on the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2010, as amended", Chief Andrew passionately explained.

From the forgone, Chief Andrew Uchendu, emphatically believes that the following questions are seriously begging for answers:

1. Why was the collation of results not carried out in Emohua, Okirika, and few Wards in Port Harcourt Local Government Areas, respectively?

2. Who collated the result for Emohua LGA?
3. Why were there no scores for all the Senatorial Candidates in Ikwerre LGA?

4. Does it mean that there was no election for the Senate Seat in Ikwerre Local Government Area, on December 10, 2016?

5. Why were the House of Assembly Re-run Election results for Ikwerre Local Government Area and House of Representatives for Ikwerre/Emouha Federal Constituency, released much after the Senatorial result was released?

6. Why was the election in Etche LGA suspended, yet results were announced in favour of Senator Sekibo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)?

7. Why did Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State invade the INEC Collation Center, Port Harcourt, in the company of known and unknown armed men?

8. Why was the result released on the arrival of the Governor?

9. Why was it that known PDP thugs and PDP members like Chief Sergeant Awuse, Samuel Nwanosike aka Ishi, Isaac Moses, e.t.c, sandwiched the Senatorial Returning Officer?

10. Which law gives them that protection?
After considering all these absurdities and belligerent posturing of the State Governor and his team of political renegades, and also the conspicuous impunity by which the laws of the land were blatantly raped, Chief Andrew Uchendu, and his party supporters, have decided that the purported victory fraudulently awarded to Senator George Sekibo, would be challenged at the Election Petition Tribunal.

Chief Uchendu is therefore most pleased to inform his numerous supporters, party faithfuls, and admirers in Rivers East Senatorial District, that the so called results of the December 10, 2016, election, shall be vehemently challenged to the latter. We hereby invite Senator George Sekibo to meet us at the tribunal.

Finally, Chief Andrew Igbonule Uchendu, OON, wishes to inform those who wish him well or not, that the fight continues, and that the battle is far from being over.

Solomon Nmam Okocha
Media Aide to Chief Andrew I. Uchendu, OON
Friday 6, 2017