The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike on Wednesday insisted that the April 11
governorship election conducted by the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) in Rivers State was held under a peaceful atmosphere devoid
of ballot box snatching, hijacking of election materials and other forms of
violence.
At
the resumed sitting of the tribunal in Abuja, lawyer to Governor Wike, Mr Okey
Wali who called seven witnesses told the tribunal that soldiers were not
anywhere near polling booths as voters exercised their civic rights freely.
He
argued that the reports making the round that elections never held in rivers
state is untrue.
Under
cross examination by the counsel to the petitioners, some of the witnesses
admitted that card readers failed in some of the polling units but the election
was conducted with the use of manual voters register.
Lawyers
to the Rivers State Governor and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) expressed
satisfaction with the testimony of the witnesses as they promised to produce
more witnesses.
Although
the lawyer to INEC declined speaking on camera on the ground that he is a
public servant, lawyer to the petitioners insisted that he is prepared to prove
that elections were not conducted by the electoral umpire in Rivers State.
The
tribunal adjourned to enable panel members pay a condolence visit to the Court
of Appeal over the death of two justices, who lost their lives at the Hajj
stampede in Saudi Arabia, the defence team of Governor Wike now has five more
days to present their remaining witnesses.
Culled
from www.channelstv.com
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