Nigerian Tribune learnt that the hoodlums destroyed louvers, and election materials, carted away phones, beating up many ward Collation officers and disrupted ongoing Collation and results announcements.
Although the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Professor Gabriel Yomere, has assured that the military has intervened, an eyewitness at the Collation centre said trouble started when results from Nkum Irede was announced and the figures did not go down well with the APC Agents, who, decided to raise alarm and invited their supporters to invade the Collation centre.
The source further added that the Nkum Irede Ward result was the seventh out of the ten Political Wards in Ogoja Local Government Area, of PDP was winning.
Speaking to our Correspondent at the Police Clinic Ogoja where he is been treated of injuries inflicted on him by the invaders, Dr Paul Bassey Inyang,who was the Collation officers for Mbube East one, said he thanked God for sparing his life.
“Over thirty thugs attacked us, my laptop, and duplicate result sheets were all destroyed.”One of my colleague is still been treated in the theatre and and I pray he comes out alive as heavy stones and planks were used on him.”
Confirming the incident, the Electoral Officer for Ogoja Local Government Area, Mr Peter Kolo said the hoodlums broke all security barriers to disrupt Collation with the intent to destroy election results.”As I talk to you we have recovered all the results from both the BIVAS and uploaded results in the portal and we will soon resume announcing results from the three remaining wards.
Also corroborating ,the Ogoja State Constituency Collation Officers,Dr Timothy Ellah of the University of Calabar said he was beaten heavily by thugs and carted away some result sheets with minor injuries sustained.”.We have however recovered all the results and we are ready to to resume announcing the results,” he assured.
Prof. John Undie ,the Governorship Collation Officers for Ogoja Local Government said they are lucky to have survived the attack ,emphasizing that every one inside the hall was beaten mercilessly but commended the police for drafting in more officers to quell the invaders,which he pointed out were hell bent to subvert the will of the people.
A visit to INEC Collation centre as at 9am Sunday morning indicates that all the Ward Collation officers were seen putting finishing touches, Cross checking figures to resume Collation for the remaining three wards.”
However, the Cross River State Police Command PRO, Irene Ugbo in a telephone chat with our correspondent confirmed the attack, adding that many of the suspected thugs have been arrested and currently been profiled to ascertain the level of each of the arrested person’s involvement in the attack.