Protest against Rivers REC: Peterside, Abe, others teargassed in Abuja

Some members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from Rivers State on Wednesday staged a protest at the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja.
The protesters were led by the governorship candidate of the party in the April 11 election, Dakuku Peterside.
Peterside said they were protesting against the refusal of the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Rivers State, Mrs Gesila Khan, to release election materials for inspection in accordance with the ruling of the tribunal.
Peterside wondered why the commissioner refused to comply with the order of the tribunal, adding that the 180 days for adjudication of electoral matters was fast approaching.
He said the commissioner claimed that she was working under the instruction of INEC headquarters.
Some other protesters included Senator Magnus Abe, Andrew Uchendu, Otelemaba Amachree, Chidi Julius Lloyd, and Victor Amadi among others.
The state Chairman of APC, Denis Ikanya, was also one of the leaders of the protest.
The protest, however, took a twist as security operatives fired canisters at them, following their refusal to nominate three candidates to meet with INEC’s Acting Chairman, Amina Zakari.
The Deputy Director of Security of INEC, Mr Victor Egbun, told the protesters to nominate three persons to represent them at the meeting with INEC.
He said that that was the standard procedure at the commission.