Rivers LP candidates reject coalition’s claim on council poll results

The chairmanship candidates of the Labour Party (LP) in Rivers state have rejected the endorsement of the LGA elections by the Coalition of Political Parties.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the candidates described the coalition’s declaration of support for the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) and its validation of the poll results as “misleading” and an attempt to undermine their pursuit of justice.

The August 30 election saw the All Progressives Congress (APC) declared winner of 20 LG chairmanship seats, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) secured victory in three. The Labour Party did not win any chairmanship positions.

The LP candidates, however, said the coalition does not speak for them, noting that they were never consulted nor represented in its decision-making.

“The coalition does not speak for us. None of its members stood as candidates in the 30 August election. Consequently, its position is not only misleading but also a deliberate attempt to undermine the electoral process and the legitimate pursuit of justice,” the statement signed by five chairmanship candidates reads.

Those who signed include Dienye Pepple (Opobo/Nkoro), Miller Ngozi Chika (Emuoha), Fidelis Ikebuluwa (Ahoada east), Charles Inko-Tarriah (Asari/Toru), and Prince Tonye Jeminimiema (Bonny).

The candidates added that they were moving forward with legal action to challenge what they termed “irregularities and breaches” that marred the exercise.

“As candidates who participated in the election, we possess both the legal and moral right to challenge the irregularities that marred the poll. We have instructed our legal teams to file petitions before the appropriate election tribunal constituted by RSIEC,” they said.

The candidates urged Nigerians to disregard the coalition’s endorsement, calling it a distortion of the truth and an affront to democracy.

“Our resolve remains unshaken. We shall exhaust every lawful avenue to seek redress for the electoral infractions we have documented and to ensure that the will of the people of Rivers state prevails,” the statement added.