The period under review (11th to 17th March) has two post-election incidents reported from Port Harcourt and Khana LGAs respectively. This report therefore, covers the two incidents and brief analytical descriptions of events within the reporting period, particularly actions related to fallout of the suspension of the election in the State by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). In Port Harcourt LGA, following the suspension of the Governorship and Assembly elections by the electoral body, members of APC/AAC coalition carried out a violent protest. In Khana LGA, Dr Ferry Gberegbe a young academia who was shot at close range on his lower abdomen by suspected men of the Federal Special Anti-rubbery Squad (FSARS) on 10th March at Bori collation centre, died on the 16th of March exacerbating already existing tension in the area.
Incident Reports by LGA
Port Harcourt LGA
Following the electoral body in Rivers state (INEC) decision to put a halt to the collation of results on Sunday because of the widespread of issues and violence perpetrated by the Army and suspected politicians across the state. INEC sited that the widespread violence and interference by the military is a situation that needs to be looked into critically and reviewed. Therefore suspended the collation activities for 48 hours. Following the INEC decision, Members of the APC/AAC took to the streets of Port Harcourt and INEC office, Aba road, Port Harcourt protesting that their candidate be declared as the winner of the concluded elections as Governor Elect. The protests took almost 2 hours and disrupted movement across Rumuola, waterlines and G.R.A junction. However, the Army and the Police came out and barricaded the roads and dispersed the protesters. After mate of that was that citizens were ordered to raise up their hands while passing through barricaded axis.
Khana LGA
Confirmed report that Dr Ferry Gberegbe is dead. Dr. Ferry Gberegbe, a young academia was shot at close range on his lower abdomen by suspected men of the Federal Special Anti-Rubbery Squad (FSARS) Rivers State command on sunday morning 10th March at Bori INEC collation centre, following an alleged instruction by one Chief Greg Nwidam backed by ACP Akin Fakorede, the SARS commander in Rivers state. Dr. Ferry was a senior lecturer at Kenpoly, a state own polytechnic at Bori, he was the immediate past branch chairman of Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) at the institution, he currently holds a national office with ASUP and an officer of the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People, MOSOP, a socio-cultural organization for the Ogoni ethnic nationality. Dr ferry was the collation officer for PDP in the governorship election in khana LGA.
Likely Implications of his death. The death of Dr Ferry may stem the tide of violent Crisis in Ogoni. The tendency for the people of Betem, his community to demand for their pound of flesh from Bane where Chief Greg comes from and from Gwarra where Hon Emma Deeya (APC leader in Khana) comes from is high. MOSOP had earlier issued a statement after the shooting of Dr Ferry, expressing displeasure over the acts and its perpetrators. As expressed by the LTO, “We cannot tell what the next point will be; this sad news makes security personnel within Ogoni vulnerable as Dr Ferry may be seen as one of Ogonis best and brightest who do not deserve such violent treatment from the security agents.”
Brief analytical description of post election events
The suspension of the election has resulted to what could be referred to grave yard peace everywhere in the State. The major fall out of the suspension has been propaganda, accusations and counter accusations coming from PDP, APC/AAC Coalition and the 6 division of the Nigerian army. APC/AAC is accusing INEC of taking side with PDP to manipulate the result which they claimed to have the highest score and urged INEC to declare the results. PDP also accused INEC of wanting to change the results in favour of AAC hence for not declaring the results after the 48 hours suspension. Therefore urged INEC to declare the results based on the already declared units and wards results from 17 LGAs where PDP claimed to have won with a very high margin. The 6 division of the Nigerian army while reacting to their alleged involvement in the disruption of electoral processes, accused INEC fact finding team of being biased in their findings; and also accused Governor Wike for ordering his security team and thugs who shot and injured two of their personnel trying to stop the thugs from high jacking ballot papers, in Obio/Akpor.
High Lights of key post election suspension events are:
- The Governorship candidate of the AAC in Rivers State, Engr. Awara Biokpomabo Festus is seeking an interlocutory injunction against INEC restraining the commission from further collating/counting and declaring anyone winner of the 9th March 2019, governorship election in Rivers State.
- The INEC fact finding commission on the suspended Rivers State governorship and assembly elections in their press release expressed its displeasure with the role played by some solders and armed gangs disrupting the collation process and attempting to subvert the will of the people.
- In a counter press release the headquarters of 6 division of the Nigerian Army expressed dismay and sense of betrayal in the statement by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), as a clear indication of lack of trust by an institution that the Nigerian Army sacrifices so much to assist in the course of performing their duties.
- Pro-APC members/Elders working with Amaechi wrote letter to President Buhari urging him amongst other things to transfer the INEC officials that conducted the elections in the state. 88 political parties under the auspices of Rivers State Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), in a press conference slammed the pro-APC Elders for the show of shame.
- A federal high court sitting in Abuja has declined to order the independent National Electoral Commission to stop the planned collation and announcement of results of the Rivers State Governorship and house of Assemble elections.