Rivers elections: Observers demand arrest, prosecution of REC

Independent observers, under the aegis of the Coalition of INEC Accredited Election Observer Groups, have demanded the arrest and prosecution of the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission in Rivers State, Dame Gesila Khan, over the fraudulent general elections.

They also insisted the April 11 governorship and House of Assembly elections in Rivers state did not hold about ten local government areas.
The observers, led by Kalu Victor, Wednesday at a news conference in Port Harcourt, accused Khan, who hails from Bayelsa State as President Goodluck Jonathan, of  truncating the efforts of the President to give Nigerians credible and peaceful elections.
They maintained that elections did not hold in Asari-Toru, Akuku-Toru, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, Abua/Odual, Khana, Ahoada-East, Ahoada-West, Bonny and Etche LGAs of Rivers state.
The observers said: “There was encouraging voters’ turnout for the elections across that state. There was no election when our teams visited at various times, Asari-Toru, Akuku-Toru, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, Abua/Odual, and Khana LGAs. We could not sight a polling unit where elections took place in the areas.

“Voters were peacefully accredited in Ahoada-West, Ahoada-East, Bonny and Etche LGAs, but voting could not hold, as armed thugs in their good number were freely patrolling the areas, intimidating voters and carting away ballot boxes.
“The election was marred by snatching and stuffing of ballot papers and ballot boxes respectively, and intimidation of voters by thugs, especially in Obio/Akpor and Omuma LGAs.”
The independent observers also stated that the behaviour and conduct of the REC of INEC in Rivers state during the elections defined her as being partisan, which they described as a violation of her oath of office and the constitution of Nigeria, regarding her position.
Khan, however, insisted that the March 28 and April 11 elections in Rivers state were free, fair, credible and peaceful.