Rivers Bye-Election: AA candidate Douglas petitions INEC, IGP, rejects result

By Daniel Abia, Port Harcourt

One of the candidates in the June 20 Rivers South-East Senatorial District bye-election, Dr. Douglas Fabeke of the Action Alliance (AA), has petitioned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Inspector-General of Police over alleged irregularities during the poll.

In separate petitions dated June 22 and addressed to the INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, and the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, Fabeke called for an independent investigation into the conduct of the election.

He alleged widespread electoral malpractice, voter suppression, intimidation, violence and manipulation of results across the seven local government areas that make up the senatorial district.

Fabeke claimed that some INEC officials and security agents were compromised during the exercise, alleging collusion to favour the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Olaka Nwogu.