By John Ikani
The Rivers State Collation Officer for the presidential election, Prof Teddy Charles Adias, has adjourned the collation of results indefinitely due to threats to his life and family.
With just two Local Government Areas (LGA) left to declare final results, Adias stated that he could not continue with the process until his concerns were addressed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Despite appeals from stakeholders and assurances from the police, Adias remained firm in his decision, citing that he has been receiving death threats and calls from individuals claiming to be members of the Labour Party (LP).
Ironically, LP’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, is currently leading the results in Rivers with only two LGAs left to conclude collation.
Adias stated that there is a misconception about his role in the process and that false accusations are being spread on social media about his involvement in rigging the elections.
As a result, he has adjourned the collation until INEC addresses his concerns.
Meanwhile, Obi has won only five of the 21 LGAs so far collated but is polling a total of 170,052, putting him ahead of Bola Tinubu of the APC who has won 13 LGAs and polled 148,977 votes.
Atiku Abubakar of the PDP, who has won three LGAs controlled by his party, is placed third on the presidential table for Rivers with 83,966 votes.
Obi’s overwhelming votes from just five LGAs came from Port Harcourt City LGA and Rivers LGA, which has the second-highest voter population, where the LP candidate raked in 62,451 votes against APC’s 5,562 votes.
The results for Degema and Obio/Akpor LGAs are the only ones left to determine the winner of the 2023 presidential elections in Rivers.
