Rivers state residents are heading to the polls today, December 10, to elect lawmakers for the vacant National Assembly seats.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had won the 2015 legislative election but it was nullified by the election petitions tribunal and the Court of Appeal. The electoral commission was ordered to conduct in rerun in 60 days.
However, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) failed to conduct the election, citing insecurity as its reason.
Following the delay in conducting the election by the INEC, the Senate threatened to suspend plenary.
The commission gave in to the pressure and finally fixed a date for the outstanding election.
The election will hold in three senatorial districts, and eight federal constituencies namely, Akuku-Toru/Asari Toru; Degema/Bonny; Okrika/Ogu-Bolo; Etche/Omuma; Ikwere/Emohua; Khana Gokana; Eleme/Tai/Oyigbo and Opobo/Nkoro/Andoni.
The state constituencies where elections will hold are Eleme, Gokana, Asari-Toru I, Asari-Toru II, Andoni, Khana II, Etche II, Ikwere, Bonny and Degema.
The PDP and APC have been engaged in a war of words, alleging plans to unleash violence.
gidi40.blogspot.com will bring to you all live reports, news updates and pictures as the day’s event unfolds.
3.10pm The electorate patiently waiting for the counting of votes at the voting point around Trailer Park in Eleme.
Serious gunfight ongoing at Luawii community area in Tai LGA. Two persons are reportedly dead.
2.45pm One person feared killed in Bodo, Gokana LGA, by armed men suspected to be operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad. The man shot was identified as Meebara Kormaga, a 25-year-old that came out to vote.
Voters were chased away from ward 7,unit 1-8, Bomu, Gokana LGA by military officers, truncating collation of result.
2.40pm PDP has called for the arrest of an APC chieftain and the Director of Finance and Administration of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) , Derrick Mene, over reported cases of hijack of electoral materials at Wiiyaakara, Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Mene was said to have taken the hijacked materials to his hotel at Wiiyaakara where they are currently thump-printing and writing results, calling on the Inspector-General of Police and the army authorities to move in immediately and recover those materials.
The PDP also accused him of beating leading a group of policemen, army and hired thugs to beat the personal assistant of the special adviser to the governor on special projects, Hon. Cyril Dum Wite. He was reportedly beaten to a state of coma.
2.01pm The result sheet at Abonchia, Ward 8, Eleme LGA has been stolen.
It appears security officials were involved in the hijack of electoral materials.
1:33pm Operatives of SARS and policemen are involved in a shouting match at Bodo community, Gokona LGA.
"Dem give us N2million, these people wan carry am go. All of us go die here together," a fair-skinned officer was heard saying.
Operatives of the Special Anti-robbery Squad (SARS) have clashed with youths of Beera community, also in Gokana LGA.
There is a reported outbreak of violence at St. Pius College, Bodo community, Gokana LGA.
1.01pm Electoral materials reportedly hijacked at Ward 3, Unit 9, Bodo in Gokana LGA by thugs. Nigerian Army and party thugs are currently exchanging fire.
PDP accuses soldiers of working with APC
The PDP candidate for Rivers South East, Olaka Nwogu, has accused soldiers of collaborating with the APC to rig election in Eleme part of the district.
“Soldiers are just stealing materials and giving them to APC in ward 8, Eleme here.
“I think there are some who are not corrupt and not interfering with process but there are bad eggs. And it is shameful that some are shaming the institution,” Nwogu said.
12.58: No voting in the minister of transport, Rotimi Amaechi’s Ubima, Ward 8, Ikwere LGA. There is confusion in the polling unit over the whereabouts of the result sheet for the rerun election. The minister and other voters are still waiting for the exercise to commence.
12.40pm Voting unable to start in PU32/13/08/014, Ubima Ward, Ikwerre due to non-availability of result sheet by INEC.
Ward 9 unit 3 Bolo in Ogu/Bolo LGA election has been discontinued due to violence. Security agents are escorting materials back.
12.04pm Magnus Abe, the APC candidate for Rivers east senatorial district has just arrived Eleme to cast his vote.
11.50am an attempt to snatch the ballot box in Ward 12 Rumuigbo was foiled and about 7 persons arrested. Voting continues.
11.40am Hon Betty Okagua Apiafi is leading a protest to INEC office and JTF command. They alleged that materials have been carted away.
11:30am Election in Ward 9, Unit 3, Ogu/Bolo LGA has been canceled by INEC after hoodlums made away with the result sheets and a bitter disagreement between PDP and APC.
PDP and APC supporters clashed at ward 7 unit 9 in Opobo/Nkoro LGA.Three people were allegedly injured. Dakuku, who hails from the area has reportedly visited the the scene of the clash
While voting is in progress at various polling unit, report has it they are shooting in ward 6, ASALGA.
Dakuku Peterside, the APC governorship candidate in the 2015 Rivers state governorship election and the director general of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) claims that electoral materials meant for one ward in Opobo/Nkoro LGA was hijacked by thugs.
“Election for one unit was hijacked by some boys, but the security agencies have recovered it. That materials have arrived and it is going orderly for now,” he said.
11.17am Materials has arrived Ward 4 Ahoada-West under tight security.
There is confusion as PDP party agents have been arrested at PU32/15/12/022, Rumuigbo ward, Obio/Akpor LGA.
11:11am Electoral materials has just arrived in Ward 8, unit 14, Ubima, Ikwerre LGA.
10.40am Rivers government deploys drones to monitor election. The drones were deployed to prevent rigging of election.
Security agents are giving journalist a hard time as they are currently being harassed in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA.
10.35am Accreditation and voting is going on peacefully at Unit 7/8 all in Ward 4 OguBolo LGA.
There is general calm in different parts of the state with huge security presence for the rerun election.
10.30am Materials and INEC officials are yet to arrive at any of the polling units in Opuoko/Kalaoko ward, Khana LGA.
Council Chairman urges for calm as materials are yet to arrive Eleme.
Report has it that there are no ballot boxes in PU32/11/13/012, Ulakwo ward, Etche LGA and voters are casting their votes into sack bags.
Materials are also yet to reach Idama community, Akuku Toru LGA.
9.55am Materials are yet to reach Bori Ward, Khana LGA.
Accreditation and voting has commenced in Etche LGA,Umu-aka community, Ward 13, units 9, 12, 16, 13, 10, 14 and 6.
Voting has started in Bodocity Ward 3.
Accreditation and voting have started in Worgu Estate unit 15 Rumuokoro, Ward 7 Obio/Akpor.
9am Election materials are yet to arrive at the three wards in Bodo city, Gokana local government area.
8.45am INEC officials arrived PU32/22/10/07/039, St. John Primary School, Port Harcourt. There was an argument over result sheet.
INEC officials tried to leave with result sheet but were accosted by party agents.
The Peoples Democratic Party has raised an alarm that 200 of its supporters and chieftains were arrested.
Rivers rerun: Suspense as APC, PDP battle for legislative seats (LIVE UPDATES)
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