By Chibuike Nwabuko
Abuja (Sundiata Post) – Less than 24-hours after the incumbent governor of Rivers state, Nyesom Wike was returned by the Independent National Electoral Commission as the winner of the governorship race, the man who came contested against him under the platform of the African action Congress, Biokpomabo Awara has accused the Independent national electoral commission of conniving with the Rivers governor to steal his mandate.
Awara who told Rivers people to remain calm in a fresh allegation, alleged that INEC stole his mandate by returning the Rivers governor all in a bid to shield him from being probed for his actions when (He) Wike held forte in the Education ministry as the Minister of State for Education.
Speaking on a radio programme in Port Harcourt, the AAC governorship candidate named INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu; the National Commissioner in charge of Rivers, Bayelsa and Edo states, May Agbamuche-Mbu; Rivers REC Obo Effanga and Administrative Secretary in the state Elder Etim Umoh as those offering Wike cover
Hear him “I have the unit by unit results of the March 9, 2019 elections in Rivers State. When they observed that I was leading and they saw the danger coming, they quickly moved on March 10 to save Wike, by suspending the collation of the results, which they resumed on April 1. As at the time the collation was suspended, I had 281,000 votes, as against Wike’s 79,000 votes. So, they (INEC officials) quickly came to his rescue.
“We (AAC leaders) have written a petition on the electoral fraud in Rivers State to the INEC chairman, stating the actual results, but Prof. Yakubu will not take action.
“Kocha is not the collation agent of AAC in INEC office, Port Harcourt. Dr. Chuku is the duly-nominated collation agent of AAC, but he was prevented by security personnel at the gate of INEC’s office in Port Harcourt from moving to the collation centre.
“I want Rivers people to be calm. We are going to reclaim the stolen mandate. We should not be troubled and we should never opt for violence.
“I want Rivers people, especially my teeming supporters, who are being pained by what they are seeing, to keep hope alive. Victory is certain. We are going to bring back the stolen mandate.”