MORE REVELATIONS EMERGE AT RIVERS STATE ELECTION PETITION TRIBUNAL.

Hearing continued at the Rivers State Governorship
Election Tribunal sitting in Abuja yesterday, as the
petitioners – the All Progressives Congress and its
governorship candidate Dakuku Peterside did present
the final set of witnesses to wrap up their case.
Another military officer identified as Major
Abdulrahman Umar Imam appeared before the tribunal
to give evidence about what happened during the
election on 11th of April.
Major Abdulrahman Umar Imam said he was the
Commander of the Joint Task Force team that was
deployed to Akuku-Toru and Asari-Toru local
government areas, and helped to maintain security
around Degema and Abonnema.
Major Umar Imam recounted that on the Election Day,
his team encountered indiscriminate shootings, adding
that two persons were arrested with AK-47 rifles in
Abonnema, and over eighty machetes were confiscated,
including fifty machetes during stop-and-search on
vehicles.
He said the suspects; the rifles and the machetes were
handed over to the police, adding that a civilian who
was shot dead was also brought to the police station
while he was there.
Major Umar Imam also said he took note of complaints
of non distribution of materials, while some residents of
Degema had to evacuate because of the war-like
situation that characterized the elections.
The Army Officer also told the tribunal that he was later
directed to provide escort for election materials back to
Port Harcourt, but when he arrived at the designated
collation centre with his men, there was no material to
transport.
Major Umar Imam said even the Divisional Police
Officer and officials of the Nigeria Security and Civil
Defence Corps who were at the designated collation
centre did not know where the collation of results took
place.
On cross-examination; Major Imam confirmed writing a
report at the end of the election for his superior officers,
but said he could not provide the report in court
because it was a classified document.
Then counsel to Governor Nyesom Wike, Okala
suggested that the Army officer was lying to help the
petitioners, but Major Imam dismissed the suggestion
and demanded to be shown some respect as an officer
of the Nigerian Army.
DAILY POST reports that the development led to a
heated exchange between counsel to the petitioners
and the respondents.
The Petitioner and Governorship candidate of the APC,
Dakuku Peterside also took to the witness box.
Dakuku who told the tribunal that he voted during the
April 11 election, said the election materials were
carted away by hoodlums immediately him and his wife
cast their votes.
Meanwhile, the Rivers state Governor, Nyesom Wike
will open his defence today, and has 6 days to present
his witnesses.