Thumb-printing Of Ballot Papers Still Going On In Rivers – Abe

Governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Rivers State, Senator Magnus Ngei Abe, has alleged that thumb-printing of ballot papers of the just-concluded governorship election was still ongoing in the State.

The allegation is coming more than 48 hours after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) concluded the collation and announcement of the results of the governorship election in the state.

Abe, who spoke on Wednesday while addressing journalists in Port Harcourt, the state capital, said the continued thumb-printing was to match figures that had already been declared.

He said: “Ogoni people were clearly disenfranchised in this election; they were not allowed to vote. All their votes they voted, as soon as people finished accreditation, particularly in Tai local government area, all the materials were carted away.

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“In alot of places, thumb-printing is still going on even as we speak to match figures that have already been declared. Nigeria can do better.”

The SDP governorship candidate also said that over 100 members of the party were arrested before the March 18, 2023 election and were still being detained by the Police.

Abe said: “Over 100 SDP members were arrested even before the election. Every other person arrested before and during the election have been released, it is only SDP members that are being transferred to SCID for electoral offences.”

He denied congratulating Siminalaye Fubara of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on his emergence as governor-elect, pointing out that the congratulatory letter was forged by the state government.

The SDP governorship candidate added: “Let me say this, the source of that congratulatory letter is the Rivers State government because if you read the letter and you listen to the governor’s broadcast, they are one and the same thing. So, they are the source of the letter.

“The night before the election, the governor made broadcast. Out of the whole people that he declared wanted, over 70 percent of them were from Ogoni. So, I wasn’t ready for the election, why was he targeting Ogoni? Everything they did was to ensure that Ogoni people were disenfranchised.

“In you see, in Khana, all the ballot papers were missed up. Everything was done and at the end of the day, the total votes in Khana was less than 6,000 and I am not ready for the election. Every target in this whole exercise; the Police came here, their only target was to destroy the SDP.

“Our members were being specifically targeted and arrested all across the state on the instructions of the governor. So, when you finish doing all that, you say we were not ready for the election. Those who want to know when people are ready for election should allow an election to hold.

“When you allow an election to hold, then you will know those are ready for election and those who are not ready for an election. You cannot lock up the entire state by violence and say people are not ready for an election.

“What are we supposed to do if we are ready for an election? Is it not for people to come out with their PVC’s and present themselves at the polling units? Where in Rivers State could ordinary people peacefully go and present themselves at a polling unit to cast votes for candidates of their choice?”