The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike on Wednesday insisted that the April 11 governorship election conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Rivers State was held under a peaceful atmosphere devoid of ballot box snatching, hijacking of election materials and other forms of violence.
At the resumed sitting of the tribunal in Abuja, lawyer to Governor Wike, Mr Okey Wali who called seven witnesses told the tribunal that soldiers were not anywhere near polling booths as voters exercised their civic rights freely.
He argued that the reports making the round that elections never held in rivers state is untrue.
Under cross examination by the counsel to the petitioners, some of the witnesses admitted that card readers failed in some of the polling units but the election was conducted with the use of manual voters register.
Lawyers to the Rivers State Governor and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) expressed satisfaction with the testimony of the witnesses as they promised to produce more witnesses.
Although the lawyer to INEC declined speaking on camera on the ground that he is a public servant, lawyer to the petitioners insisted that he is prepared to prove that elections were not conducted by the electoral umpire in Rivers State.
The tribunal adjourned to enable panel members pay a condolence visit to the Court of Appeal over the death of two justices, who lost their lives at the Hajj stampede in Saudi Arabia, the defence team of Governor Wike now has five more days to present their remaining witnesses.
