Rivers South-East Senatorial By-Election Outcome Rejected by AA, LP Candidates Amid Fraud Claims

The Action Alliance (AA) and Labour Party (LP) candidates who contested the recent Rivers South-East Senatorial District by-election have voiced strong disapproval of Saturday's electoral outcome. They cited extensive irregularities as their reason for rejecting the poll results and have indicated intentions to pursue legal action. Both parties have also formally requested that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) nullify the election, asserting that the entire process was fundamentally flawed.

This senatorial by-election took place across the seven local government areas comprising the Rivers South-East Senatorial District, specifically Khana, Gokana, Eleme, Tai, Oyigbo, Andoni, and Opobo/Nkoro. INEC had previously approved four political entities—the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), All Progressives Congress (APC), Labour Party (LP), and Action Alliance (AA)—to contest the election.

Following the conclusion of voting, Professor Rosemary Ogu, who served as the Returning Officer for the exercise, officially announced Olaka Nwogu, the candidate representing the PDP, as the victor of the by-election, having secured 47,961 votes.

Nonetheless, Douglas Fabeke, the Action Alliance candidate, expressed his dissatisfaction with the electoral proceedings during a Saturday interaction with journalists post-election. He directly accused personnel from INEC and security agencies of complicity in manipulating the poll.

Fabeke, speaking to the press, claimed that counterfeit INEC result sheets were distributed, and he pledged to initiate legal proceedings. He stated, “In this situation, we will not keep quiet. We will continue to raise our voice. Not only raising our voice, we are going to file a case against INEC and PDP and the candidate, if there is anybody that exists as a candidate. We have never seen him anywhere. So it’s a complicated issue in which the Nigerian judicial system will define to us what kind of election this is. If we keep quiet, who are those people who are going to talk tomorrow? We need to fight for our future generation.”

Furthermore, in a separate statement released on Sunday, Fabeke reiterated his concerns, asserting that the management of the by-election intensified doubts regarding INEC's readiness for the upcoming 2027 general elections. He put forward allegations that certain INEC officials were accommodated in hotels with the intent to subvert the electoral process, and he also criticized the commission for various logistical shortcomings.

Fabeke declared, “I had previously stated that the Rivers South-East senatorial by-election would serve as a litmus test for the 2027 election. Regrettably, the Independent National Electoral Commission has once again fallen short of expectations. It appears that INEC faced significant challenges, including insufficient funds to cover logistics for transporting materials to various wards, which we assisted them with when those materials were left on the road with staff. Furthermore, the commission failed to provide result sheets, which are essential for conducting elections. There were also allegations of INEC officials relocating to private hotel accommodations to manipulate results. More disturbingly, INEC was accused of facilitating vote buying and instructing polling unit officials not to upload results as required. We intend to take all necessary steps to expose this malfeasance. The truth behind this flawed electoral system will be laid bare globally.”

Fabeke further disclosed that his party's agents received instructions to refrain from affixing their signatures to any document that might jeopardize their stance. He reiterated, “I have instructed our polling unit agents and Local Government Area collation agents not to sign any documents that may compromise our position. The evidence we present will determine whether INEC is prepared for the 2027 elections. In light of these irregularities, I unequivocally reject this undemocratic electoral process and call for the outright cancellation of the election, pending the presentation of our evidence.”

In a similar vein, Kinani Sam, the Labour Party candidate, also expressed his rejection of the election's outcome during a Saturday press briefing, demanding its annulment and claiming the process was undermined. Sam alleged, “The supervisor was found in the secretary’s vehicle, driving him around with the police. So it is completely compromised. And we are demanding that INEC should not release any results. If they do otherwise, we will take the next step possible. I can tell you that we have video and pictorial evidence and voice notes of some of the INEC and local government officials.”

Responding to these accusations, Geraldine Ekelemu, the spokesperson for the Resident Electoral Commission in Rivers State, refuted the claims, asserting that the commission had indeed conducted a credible election. She did, however, point out that any disgruntled candidates retained the right to pursue legal remedies. Ekelemu stated, “It is within everybody’s right where they feel an activity is not properly done. It is welcomed, and that’s why we have such provisions in the Electoral Act. I believe if they have to prove what they are alleging, that will also be good for them to take it up. However, where we stand, we have done what we are expected to do to ensure that the process was smooth and concluded.”