‘My Life Is Still In Serious Danger’ – Rivers INEC Collation Officer Alleges

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) State Collation Officer for Rivers State in the February 25 presidential and National Assembly elections, Prof. Charles Adias, has again raised alarm over the threat to his life.

Recall that Adias had alleged threats to his life and family from supporters of the Labour Party (LP) and suspended results collation during the February 25 elections.

The Vice-Chancellor of Federal University, Otuoke, Bayelsa State, later continued the collation of the results and declared the All Progressives Congress (APC) flagbearer, Bola Tinubu, as the winner of the election in the state.

Speaking with reporters on Sunday in Yenogoa, Adia alleged that some supporters of one of the political parties were after his life and those of his family members.

The academia stated that he has nothing to do with the conduct of elections and the computation of results, saying that his appointment is a call to duty on national assignment.

He said those accusing him of rigging the elections in Rivers State were circulating his photograph and personal details on social media and calling on party members to deal with him.

He said: “On my appointment as State Collation Officer for the 2023 Presidential Elections, SCOPE, in Rivers, I had set out, as a call to duty on national assignment to fulfill an essential part of my community service as an academic and vice-chancellor of a federal University.

“I worked within my brief as statutorily demanded and as clearly enunciated in the Electoral Guidelines and other enabling instruments.

“By the nature of my assignment, as it is with every other job in this sphere, I knew it was going to be challenging, but I braved it being assured that I would surmount whatever challenge by the grace of God.

“As statutorily designated, I received reports of collated and announced results from local government area council collation officers.

“I collated votes scored by each political party from Forms EC8C into Form EC8D and entered the votes scored in the spaces provided.”