Action Alliance, Labour Party Candidates Reject Rivers South-East Senatorial By-Election Results

The Action Alliance (AA) and Labour Party (LP) candidates in the Rivers South East Senatorial District by-election have rejected the outcome of Saturday’s poll, alleging widespread irregularities and threatening to challenge the results in court. The Returning Officer, Professor Rosemary Ogu, had declared PDP candidate Olaka Nwogu the winner with 47,961 votes. Action Alliance candidate Douglas Fabeke accused INEC officials and security personnel of aiding manipulation, alleging that fake result sheets were circulated and vowing to pursue legal action. He said the conduct of the by-election had reinforced concerns about the commission’s preparedness for the 2027 general elections.

Fabeke alleged that some INEC officials were lodged in hotels to compromise the process and accused the commission of logistical failures, including insufficient funds to cover transport for election materials. He also claimed that the commission failed to provide result sheets and that officials were accused of facilitating vote buying. He stated that his party’s agents had been directed not to sign any document that could compromise their position, and he called for the outright cancellation of the election. Labour Party candidate Kinani Sam also rejected the outcome, alleging that the process was compromised and demanding cancellation of the election.

Sam claimed that a supervisor was found with a local government secretary and police, and that the process was completely compromised. He said he had video and pictorial evidence and voice notes of some INEC and local government officials. The candidates vowed to take all necessary steps to expose what they described as a flawed electoral system and to pursue legal action against INEC, the PDP, and the declared winner.

Reacting to the claims, the Resident Electoral Commission spokesperson in Rivers State, Geraldine Ekelemu, dismissed the allegations and maintained that the commission conducted a credible election. She noted that dissatisfied candidates were free to seek legal redress, stating that it is within everybody’s right to challenge the process, and that is why such provisions exist in the Electoral Act. She said the commission had done what was expected to ensure a smooth and concluded process.

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