Head of mission of Rivers State Local Government polls observation , Dr Gabriel Nwambu has confirmed that 330 observers were deployed across board and no thuggery or violence has been recorded by his mission.

Recall there was adequate security beef up before the polls and during the Local Government polls in a professional manner without molestation.

Dr Nwambu further confirmed this during an interview on Saturday evening stating that: ” As the head of mission for election observation here in Rivers State, my centre has deployed about 330 observers across the 23 local government areas of Rivers State.

“And we had a pre-election observation and analysis which we have conducted where we made a needs analysis of what has transpired. And we noticed the pre-election there was no election-related violence.

“There was no acrimony. People were campaigning strictly on issue base and personalities were not being attacked, unlike the conventional elections in the past.

” And what is happening today is that elections started in good time, although it is not in all the polling units that elections commence at 8:30am.

” There were pockets of areas where there were little delays, like elections commence around 9 o’clock and 9:30am, like the ward 7, and some areas in Elelewon, elections commence at about 9 o’clock, 8:45am and all that.

On the security situation, Nwambu observed that: “”So generally, the environment is peaceful. We’ve not observed any incidents of electoral-related violence. The security, the police, which is the lead agency in charge of internal security and democratic process, such as this, is on top of the game. And I think so far, it is good.

“You see, the checkpoints are okay. It is manned by a joint task force made up of the several law enforcement agencies, including the military. It’s not difficult as usual. The joint task force are well abriefed. They are well trained.

” They are strictly adhering to the rules of engagement. This is one of the best elections in terms of the performance index of the law enforcement agencies. They are not beating up anybody.

” They are not brutalising anybody. Unlike in the past, where you would introduce yourself as an election observer, they would pretend as if they were not even hearing you.

” This time, they are even ready to assist you to cross and go your way, provided you conduct yourself in a peaceful manner. So, I think the security situation here in River State is excellent.

“And to show the level of compliance in terms of restriction of movement, we also observed young men playing football, playing soccer along the roads, showing that the roads were desolate, within intra city.

” So, we believe that the electorates are happy. They came out en masse to exercise their franchise, which they feel is long overdue. And elections should really take this pace for which this election is going.

“We would recommend this pattern of election for Nigeria any day, any time, because of the peaceful disposition of both the electorates, the peaceful disposition of the candidates themselves, and then the peaceful disposition of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, which so far has demonstrated capacity and competence in terms of the level of preparedness and dispensation of the electoral mandates.

” What is happening today is the supremacy and predominance of the rule of law. What is happening in Rivers State is that following the nullification of the election that was held last year for local government and the councillorship and local government chairman by the Supreme Court, we see a demonstration, the people’s zeal to participate.

” In previous elections, there are very high voter apathy, where people are not interested in voting. But this time, people are participating. And I will tell you, one very, very hydra-headed problem we used to have in Nigeria, even in the past by-election that was held a few weeks ago in Nigeria, there is no single atom of vote-buying recorded anywhere.

“We have not observed that. In all the observers we deployed to the 23 local government areas of Rivers State, there is no case of vote-buying observed anywhere. I mean, this is a pace setter. This is how an election should be. The environment is peaceful.

” The people are docile and behaving themselves in line with the expected conduct of electorates. Even the politicians are interested in issue-based, they are not interfering in the process of election.

“Honestly, this is not yet to Uhuru, because we still have about 4 o’clock before the voting will round up completely. But I believe, honestly, that this election should be, from what we have observed so far, is one of the best elections in the history of Nigeria.