The Chairman of Rivers State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bro. Felix Obuah has rejected the purported disqualification of the PDP Candidate for Akuku-Toru Constituency 2 during the recent rerun polls in the state, Tonye Awari Alalibo. He describing it as not only illegal and mischievous, but highly vexatious, explaining that “no Election Petition Tribunal nor the Election Appeal Tribunal, including the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has the power to disqualify any party candidate (as provided for in the 2012 Electoral Act as amended), and for which the PDP and its candidate for Akuku-Toru State Constituency 2 are already in court.”

Bro Obuah also disclosed that no Election Petition Tribunal or Appeal Tribunal has right to disqualify any candidate, when the issue of disqualification was not part of the subject matter before both the Election Petition Tribunal and Appeal Tribunal. Accordingly, INEC lacks powers to disqualify the PDP candidate.

Therefore, the purported disqualification of our candidate for Akuku-Toru Constituency 2, when the PDP logo was on the ballot paper and our candidate participated and won the election is preposterous.

The so-called disqualification, according to Bro. Obuah is the handiwork of the APC that is doing everything possible to grab power, calling on Akuku-Toru people to remain calm and watch events as they unfold.

Similarly, Bro Obuah described the ceding of result of Opobo/Nkoro State Assembly Election to the APC as a rape of democracy, adding that the results collated from the polling units in all the wards showed Hon. Adonye Diri of the PDP as the clear winner.

The PDP Chairman accused INEC of colluding with the APC to satisfy the defeated governorship candidate, Adol Dakuku Peterside, who was said to have mobilised soldiers on the day of the election and used them to chase away PDP agents, from the collation centre in Opobo.

Meanwhile, the State PDP Chairman, Bro Obuah, congratulates candidates of the party who emerged victorious in the results so far released and declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The PDP chairman said the victory of the candidates of the party once again confirmed the popularity and acceptability of the party in Rivers State.

While also felicitating with the good people of Rivers State who voted for the emergence of the PDP candidates in those State and federal constituencies, Bro Obuah assured that the party would not let them down in the delivery of its campaign promises.

Bro. Obuah reiterated the obvious fact that Rivers State is 100% PDP, adding that the desperation, blackmail and intimidation by the APC and Rotimi Amaechi would not reverse the trend.

The PDP Chairman enjoined Rivers people to remain resolute as they await the release of the remaining results and new date for the re-run election in Local Government Areas were elections were suspended following the distribution of fake result sheets, noting that these delays were deliberate attempt by the APC to buy more time and fashion out strategies to manipulate the results.

•Photo shows Bro. Obuah.

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