Rivers PDP supporters storm INEC over inspection of election documents

By Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt

Supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Rivers on Monday stormed the secretariat of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to demand that all parties must interested in filing petitions against elections in the state must only be allowed to inspect the electoral materials they will need to do so jointly.

The protesters, who are armed with placards caused heavy traffic that trapped motorists on the Aba-Port Harcourt Expressway.

They also insist that INEC must release of Certified True Copies (CTC) of electoral materials used in the February 25 and March 18,2023 elections in Rivers State to the PDP to enable the party to defend its victory of party at the tribunal.

The protesters carried placards with varying inscriptions like:” No one party should be allowed to inspect materials alone,”, “Police and INEC want to instigate crisis in the state,”, “We want Certified True Copies CTCs, to defend our mandates,” among others.

One of the leaders of the protesters, Samuel Nwanosike, who is also the Chairman of Ikwerre local government Council area said it within the rights of PDP to get documents it required to defend the mandates it secured during the concluded elections.

Tonye Cole, the Governorship candidate for APC had also led supporters of the party to the INEC Office in Port Harcourt last week.

He had also accused INEC of frustrating efforts of lawyers engaged by the party to access vital documents needed to challenge the victory of PDP at the election tribunal.

Meanwhile, the police have released lawyers of APC arrested in Port Harcourt at a hotel where they were preparing petitions the party was planning to file against elections in Rivers.

Also, documents seized by the police have been returned to the party.

Rivers APC governorship candidate, Tonye Cole accused the state government of using Police to intimidate political opponents.

Details shortly.