RIVERS EAST SENATORIAL DISTRICT PRIMARY ELECTIONS: SETTING THE RECORDS STRAIGHT
On Saturday, May 28, 2022, the All Progressives Congress, APC, held its senatorial primary elections nationwide. Accordingly, the Rivers East Senatorial District participated in the exercise at the designated venue in Port Harcourt, however, the exercise failed to reach a conclusion following the deliberate disruption of result collation and counting processes by some sponsored hoodlums which clearly jeopardized the exercise making it impossible for the process to be consummated.
Following this unfortunate outcome, the social and other media platforms have been inundated with vexing narratives clearly intended to skew facts and fulfil an unpopular agenda. This sponsors of falsehood have gone ahead to concoct and announce results on their own with an imaginary 249 votes allotted to an aspirant even when the process was disrupted and the electoral officers unable to conclude same for security concerns.
Although, we have maintained a studied silence over the matter while waiting for the appropriate authorities to resolve the impasse, knowing that it is an internal party affair, however, considering the severity of the misrepresentation of facts surrounding the process by some persons, we have decided to set the records straight and dispel the ambitious falsehood bandied in the social media by these agents of crisis.
Accordingly, we wish to clarify as follows:
1. That the primary election started out seamlessly without issues until the until
the result collation and counting process began.
2. That immediately the collation and counting process began, some group of persons obviously working for Chief Bisi Nwankwo disrupted the process for obvious reasons making it practically unsafe and impossible for the process to continue.
3. That neither the electoral committee chairman nor any member of the committee declared any results from the said exercise.
4. Satisfied that it was unsafe to continue the process, the electoral committee chairman discontinued the process in the hope that nerves will be calmed before continuing.
5. That all efforts made both by our result collation agent and security agents to calm the situation, restore a peaceful atmosphere and resume the process failed.
6. This tenses atmosphere prevailed for a while until some sponsored hoodlums invaded the scene and carted away election materials forcing people to flee the venue of the exercise.
7. We find it absolutely disturbing that some persons would turn around to give a gross misrepresentation of the events that transpired in a bid to mislead the public and preempt the true outcome of the process.
8. Even though field reports from our agents and intelligent unit indicated that Chief Nnamdi Okere was in a pole position to clinch the senatorial ticket before the unfortunate disruption of the process by some hired thugs, we have held our peace as true party men, thereby giving room to the Party to resolve the crisis.
9. Consequently, members of the public are advised to discountenance any claim of results declared from Saturday’s senatorial primary election for Rivers east senatorial district as the process was inconclusive.
10. We are aware that the exercise may have been cancelled by the appropriate authorities and a new date for the exercise is been awaited, hence, we urge everyone to disregard any claim of victory from the exercise.
11. We thank the delegates for voting massively for Chief Nnamdi Okere even though the desperation exhibited in some quarters may have aborted those efforts, we appreciate your resilience and firmness.
12. We also acknowledge our gallant supporters for their invaluable support even as we urge them to remain calm and hopeful.
Thank you.
Rivers East Campaign Organization
for Nnamdi Okere Senatorial Organization.
May 30, 2022.
