APC Threatens To Barricade INEC Office Over Results

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has threatened to mobilise its members to barricade the main entrance into the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Port Harcourt over the commission’s alleged refusal to release the certified true copies (CTC) of the just-concluded election in the state.

The copies include that of Form EC8A, EC8B, EC8C, EC8D and other related EC series as if concerns the February 25, 2023 Presidential and National Assembly election as well as that of March 18, 2023 governorship and House of Assembly election in the state.

Addressing journalists at the INEC headquarters in Port Harcourt yesterday, the APC governorship candidate, Pastor Tonye Cole, said the party members and supporters would storm the commission’s office again on Monday, April 3, 2023 and would not leave the facility until all necessary documents were handed over to them.

Cole was accompanied by his running mate, Dr. Innocent Barikor, APC Chairman in the state, Chiec Emeka Beke and the party legal adviser, Dike Ifeanyichukwu, amongst others.

Accusing officials of the electoral body of attempting to frustrated the party’s efforts to challenge the out to outcome of the elections at the tribunal, the governorship hopeful stated that the APC, just like other political parties, have limited period of time to go to the tribunal.

Cole accused the police of arresting  three lawyers filing processes at the election petition tribunal to challenge the March 18 governorship election in the state.

He alleged that five support staff of the party were also arrested by the operatives.

It was gathered that the lawyers who are attached to the chambers of Tuduru Ede, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), were picked on Friday night at a hotel they were lodging in Port Harcourt.

Confirming the arrest to newsmen in Port Harcourt yesterday, Cole described the development as a rude awakening, saying the operatives took materials belonging to the lawyers.

Also speaking, lead counsel to the APC and its candidates, Tuduru Ed, SAN, said it was unheard of for the police to allow themselves to be used.

Ede said: “All in a way of scuttling the petitions. They took away all the EC8 papers and copies of election results we have collated from the agents.

“We are asking that all the arrested persons should be released. We believe our stay there was compromised by the staff of the hotel.”

Efforts to reach the spokesperson of the police command, Grace Iringe-Koko, proved abortive.

She had yet to reply a text message sent to her mobile at the time of filing this report.