Rivers Election: INEC Refutes Claims Of Fraud By Protesters

The Independent National Electoral Commission in Nigeria (INEC) has
refuted the claims of fraud by protesters who have taken to the
streets in Rivers State after the election.

The INEC said elections were held in the state.

Supporters of the All progressives Congress in their thousands and
political aspirants of the party in the sate, started protesting after
Saturday's elections, saying there was no election in the state.

They have forwarded a petition to the IENC, seeking the cancellation
of the elections results and insisting that it was flawed.

On Saturday, the Governor of the State, Chibuike Amaechi, of the All
Progressives Congress, had asked the party's supporters to boycott the
voting, claiming that there was a deliberate attempt to rig the
election.

He had asked an INEC official to show him the result sheet, where
election results would be recorded after votes are cast, before he
would vote. The INEC official according to him could not provide the
document he requested for.

In a telephone interview, the spokesman for the chairman of the INEC,
Koyode Idowu told Channels Television on Monday that elections were
held successfully in the state and that there was no reason for anyone
to mislead.

"From the last call I had with the Residence Electoral Commissioner
there, election took place.

"I suspect, from what I see happening there, that as we speak the
processes of collation is ongoing. I cannot say exactly what the issue
is and why they are having that protest. From all I know, the result
has not been returned and the protest is ongoing. I wonder what the
basis is.

"Protests are issues for security agencies to handle.

"Where petitions are written to the commission, the commission, as an
umpire will investigate the petitions thoroughly and if there are
issues, the commission will address them and if there are not, that
means there are none," he said.
--ChannelsTV