By Egufe Yafugborhi & Davies Iheamnachor

GOVERNOR Nye som Wike refused to cast his vote at his home Obia Akpor Ward 9, Unit 7, as apathy and calm marked yesterday’s council elections across Rivers State’s 23 local government areas, LGAs.

Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission Officials examining some Electoral Materials Upon arrival at Ward 10 Unit 9 Elele Alimini, Emuoha Local Government Area of Rivers State during Rivers State Local Government Election Yesterday in Elele Alimini. Photo: Nwankpa Chijioke

The governor, who was being expected at the unit, merely breezed past in a  convoy and never returned to cast his vote.  Wike is of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in power in the state.

The exercise, boycotted by rival All Progressives Congress, APC, was peaceful and orderly, but marked by apathy, aggravated by delayed release of materials and arrival of electoral officials in most of the places in Port Harcourt metropolis visited.

There were, however, reported stalemate at Degema Ward 12 where a councilorship candidate raised the alarm over missing result sheets while in volatile Omoku, Ogba Egbema Ndoni local government area, Precious Ahiaku, a reporter with Rhythm FM was brutalised by suspected thugs.

Wike, who monitored the exercise in some areas of Port Harcourt, opined that the boycott by the APC helped the peaceful outcome while praising Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) and security operatives for living up to expectation.

The governor said, “Sixty-six out of sixty-eight political parties participated, but no violence.  That means that if APC had participated, probably we would have seen violence”.

Meanwhile, against the position by the APC to boycott the elections, Barry Mpigi, member representing Eleme- Onyigbo-Tai Federal Constituency, came out with his supporters to cast his vote in his Tai unit.

He said, “As a chieftain of the APC, I just cast my vote. It is unfortunate that APC refused to participate in the elections because of the endless crisis that rocks the party”.