Let the Will of Rivers People Prevail, Obi Urges INEC

Police man strategic locations as results collations begin today

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

As the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) resumes the collation of governorship results in Rivers State today, the Vice Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the recent general election, Mr. Peter Obi, yesterday advised that the will of the people must be allowed to prevail.

This is as the state police command said it has commenced the deployment of personnel at strategic areas and collation centres for election results collation.

The former Anambra State Governor in a statement said that Rivers State was so critical to the economic and political development of the country that a serious government should not contribute to its destabilisation because of attendant far-reaching implications to the fragile national economy.

According to him, “the needless stretch of Rivers people can only be compensated if their will is allowed to prevail in all elective positions in the state. INEC should see the collation of results in Rivers State as a huge opportunity for them to try cleaning up their dented image that arose from their questionable handling of the February 23 and March 9 presidential and gubernatorial polls respectively.”

Obi added that the militarisation of the the election in Rivers and other South-south states would remain the sour side of 2019 general election for which the image of the country suffered grossly.

He stressed: “The people of Rivers State should not have been subjected to the agony of waiting for more than 20 days before hearing their results, but it happened that power found their way into the hands of some rascals who flagrantly abused it.
“Aside the fact that Rivers State is a traditional PDP state, the performance of its gubernatorial flag bearer, Governor Nyesom Wike in the last four years makes it imperative that no party would be able to compete effectively in the state.”

Police Man Strategic Locations as Results Collations Begin

Meanwhile, the Rivers State Police Command yesterday said it had commenced the deployment of personnel at strategic areas and collation centres for election results collation scheduled to begin in the state today.

The command’s spokesman, Nnamdi Omoni, made this known in a statement issued in Port Harcourt.
The INEC had on March 21 announced the resumption of collation and announcement of results in the state between April 2 and April 5.

According to Omoni, the decision to deploy personnel at strategic locations was reached following a meeting between the state Police Commissioner and the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security.

“ICCES agreed to put in place adequate security measures to ensure that the entire process is transparent and seamlessly carried out.

“Part of the security measures that were agreed upon include massive deployment of Police personnel and other sister security agencies to the venue and the outer perimeter of collation centres.

Omoni said that Waterlines and GRA Junction axis of Port Harcourt/Aba Expressway would be shut to traffic during the duration of the exercise.
He said that both lanes of the road would be closed to motorists, advising road users to divert to Olu Obasanjo and Polo Club Roads.

“The Police note with concern the temporary hardship the closure will cause. We appeal to the public to show understanding and bear with us.
“The closure is done in the overall interest of the public, as well as to provide a conducive atmosphere for the collation.

“Politicians, candidates and, indeed, unauthorised persons are warned to steer clear of the collation centres,” he said.

The police spokesperson warned that any individual or group seen undermining the process would be arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the Electoral Act.
Omoni solicited for the cooperation and support of the public towards a successful conduct of the exercise.