Reports reaching Naij.com inform that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), for Rivers State, Dame Gesila Khan, was apprehended by State Security Services, SSS operatives over her role in the conduct of the recent general elections in the state.
According to Nigerian Pilot, the REC was detained in an underground cell with nobody having access to her, including her family and lawyer.
It was alleged that her arrest was masterminded by members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in the state, who feeling there was foul play in the March and April elections in which the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidates won with landslide victories in both state and National Assembly elections.
Informants claim that a directive from the office of the President, led the Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase to invite Khan to his office in Abuja where she was reportedly quizzed for hours on her refusal to allow the APC access to election materials despite an order by the state governorship election petition tribunal sitting in Abuja.
Meanwhile the PDP Caucus in the state assembly, petitioned the director of department of the DSS in Rivers State, over the invitation of Khan by the IGP sometime last week.
According to the Nigerian Pilot Khan was questioned last Thursday by the SSS but she was later released to report back on Tuesday after the Eid-fitrl holidays.
When she reported back for questioning, she was detained against her will.
State public relations officer of INEC, Mrs. Tonia Nwoye, however claims the INEC REC was never arrested though she never stated if she was detained or brought in for question. Khan’s family members have however said she was arrested.
Meanwhile, a source in the Public Relations Unit of the DSS headquarters in Abuja did not any details of the development though he refered any inquiry on the case to the Acting Director-General of DSS.
In a related development, the Rivers State House of Assembly hashas released a statement condemning the perceived harassment of Khan and her colleagues.
The press release titled: “Protest over Undue Interference in Rivers State Election Petitions Pending before the Election Petition Tribunals” was signed by 31 lawmakers and read before journalists by the Speaker, Ikuinyi Ibani.
It reads: “We, the undersigned members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, hereby, for ourselves and on behalf of the entire good people of Rivers State, that we represent, express our deepest worries and displeasure against the undue interference and meddlesomeness in the political affairs of Rivers State and the Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abuja.
“We have watched with dismay the way and manner the Directorate of State Security (DSS) has been intimidating and harassing electoral officers connected with or handling matters relating to the 2015 general elections held in Rivers State, as well as the election petitions.
“We have it on good authority that the Rivers State REC, Mrs. Gesila Khan, and her officers were orally invited to DSS office in Abuja and she honoured the invitation with her senior officers on Tuesday, July 22, 2015, only to be arrested and detained till about 10pm on Wednesday, July 23, with further instructions to report to the DSS daily.
“It is important to state that Section 2, sub-Section 3 of the National Security Agencies Act, Cap. 74, 2004, has defined the functions of the DSS, which are limited to crimes bordering on the internal security of the country such as insurrections. Again, we make bold to say that INEC is a party at the Election Petition and the arrest of Mrs. Khan under the guise of preventing breakdown of law and order is not only laughable, but condemnable.
“It is wrong for the State Security apparatus to be used to intimidate parties concerning pending matters in court or any tribunal using all kinds of allegations three months after elections. We, therefore, call on the DSS to desist from further arrest or intimidation of any official involved directly or indirectly in the election petitions,” the statement read.
INEC announced Chief Nyesom Wike of the PDP as governor after he defeated APC governorship candidate, Mr. Dakuku Peterside in the gubernatorial election. Also the PDP also won majority seats in State House of Assembly, Senate and House of Representatives.
The APC caucus in the state have raised alarms that the elctions in the state might have been rigged.
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