Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt
The Action Alliance(AA) Senatorial candidate in the just-concluded Rivers South-east by-election, Dr. Douglas Fabeke, has vowed to legally challenge the outcome of the election.
Dr Fabeke alleged multiple irregularities that he said undermined the credibility of the poll.
Speaking with journalists in Port Harcourt yesterday , Fabeke said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), allegedly failed in several key areas that are critical to a free and fair election.
He alleged that INEC did not provide result sheets at many polling units, relocated electoral officials to private hotels where results were allegedly manipulated, facilitated vote buying, diverted election materials to private homes, and instructed presiding officers not to upload results to the INEC Result Viewing Portal as mandated by the Electoral Act.
“Although many Nigerians have lost faith in the judicial system, I have evidence that no judge can ignore in delivering judgment,” Fabeke said. “This election was a charade, and we have documented proof to challenge it.”
The AA candidate warned the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP)’s Olaka Nwogu, who was declared winner by INEC, not to celebrate “He should not rejoice yet. A serious legal battle with concrete evidence awaits him,” Fabeke stated.
He added that his legal team will also defend the rights of voters whose ballots he claimed were unlawfully overturned during collation.
On reports linking AA to a coalition with the ruling party, Fabeke dismissed the claims. “Let me make this clear: as the AA candidate, I have no coalition agreement with any political party, including the ruling party. We contested this election independently,” he said.
The by-election was conducted to fill the Rivers South East Senatorial seat following the death of Senator Bari Mpigi. As at press time, INEC had not responded to Fabeke’s allegations.
Fabeke will be required to present the documented evidence he referenced to Election Petition Tribunal within 21 days of INEC’s declaration of results.
