#NIGERIA DECIDES2023: Wike, Amaechi differ on conduct of guber, Assembly polls in Rivers
Governorship candidates and political leaders, on Saturday, shared mixed feelings after voting on the governorship and state Assembly elections in Rivers State, characterised by profound voter apathy.
Governor Nyesom Wike who had seamless accreditation at his Obio Akpor Ward 9 Unit 7 and voted 11:16am said, “I can say they (INEC) have done very well unlike what we had on 25 February. They have improved more than what we had in February.”
On the conspicuous voter apathy, the governor said, “When the first election came and go, if people didn’t get what they want, they’re discouraged. And you can’t force people to vote.”
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A former Minister of Transportation and leader, All Progressives Congress (APC), in Rivers State, who voted midday, however, wrote off the Police and INEC in the conduct of the 2023 elections in the state, indeed declared total breakdown of governance in Nigeria.
Amaechi, after voting at his home town, Ubima Ward 8 Unit 14 said, “There is total failure of governance in the country.
“Gongs are being beaten about in the whole communities asking people who will not vote PDP not to come or they would be beaten. People are being beaten, the governor (Wike) has declared people wanted and nobody has spoken.
“The governor has no right to declare anybody wanted. The IG (Inspector General of Police) is doing nothing, nobody doing anything. Complete failure. There is voter apathy in Rivers. Nobody wants to come out because people are scared.
“INEC is complete failure. There are those of us who opposed the reappointment of Yakubu Mahmood. The person who nominated him is a member of Tinubu’s camp. So, what are you expecting?
“Here in Rivers state, Mahmood worked under Wike as Executive Secretary of TETFund, so what you are having in Rivers is that APC and other parties are contesting, not against PDP, but against INEC, against Police”.
Elsewhere, APC governorship candidate, Mr. Tonye Cole, voted in his Abonnema Ward 12, Unit 2 at about 9:46am in Akuku Toru LGA.
Secretary to the Rivers State Government, Dr. Tammy Danagogo, cast his vote in Ward 4, Unit 10 Jack-White Compound in Degema, as the governorship candidate of the Accord, Chief Lulu-Briggs casted his in Unit 1, Ward 4 of same Degema LGA.
The governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Siminialayi Fubara, cast his vote in Unit 8, Ward 5, Opobo/Nkoro LGA.
Across Obio-Akpor council, there was widespread complaint of intimidation against voters opposed to voting candidates of the PDP, a development said to be prevalent in Eleme and several other areas
