Husband of Port Harcourt Collation officer alleges threat to her life for refusing to falsify election results
The husband of the Port Harcourt City Local Government Area Collation Officer for the February 25 presidential election, Professor Omiete Briggs, has raised the alarm over continued threats to the life of his wife.
While speaking to journalists at the Nigerian Union of Journalists secretariat in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on Monday, March 6, the distraught husband, Dr Amoniia Lulu-Briggs, said his wife had received a series of death threats from unknown persons for standing by the truth.
Recall that on February 27 during the collation of results from the Presidential and National Assembly elections polls, a group of men had besieged the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission along Aba Road, Port Harcourt, accusing Prof Briggs of manipulating and running away with the PHALGA election results. Mrs. Briggs had to be escorted into the INEC premises by armed security operatives who shielded her from being attacked.
After the collation, Peter Obi won the Port Harcourt LG with 62,450 votes, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) garnered 7,203 votes and the All Progressives Congress (APC) 5,562 votes.
During his interview with newsmen, Briggs said there had been strange human and vehicular movements around their residence, adding that the threats had spiraled to the university campus where his wife teaches.
“There has been a viral video, where it emanated from we don’t know, but we feel that it was something done within the confines of INEC. During the elections, she was under so much pressure to act otherwise. However, because of her belief and her faith, she stood by the results and declared what the people voted for. Now, in as much as we thank Nigerians for calling and commending her, on the flip side, there have been so many threats and unknown numbers calling, threatening her left, right and centre. She came to serve her country. The purpose of this briefing is to let the security agencies, especially the Inspector General of Police and INEC know what is happening.
This is a non-politician that was called upon to serve her nation. In serving her nation, what we are seeing now is that there are threats to her life. The situation was so unbearable. In the last two days, we have seen unusual movements around our house. Last night, our dogs were like crazy. This morning, we saw tinted vehicles moving to and fro. So, I had to move her to a safe abode.
“More disturbing again is even in the university community. We have to call on the university community to protect her because the feelers we have, fellow persons that did not do what she did are now like she is proving to be a righteous person. How else can we save this country if we don’t stand by the truth? I came to let Nigerians, the security agencies, and INEC itself know otherwise it will discourage others from rendering such services to the nation.
She has stood by the truth. I am very proud of my wife and I think she has done what she is supposed to do. If anything happens to my wife, I want the IGP and INEC to know that it was as a result of what came out from this election,” Prof Briggs’ husband said.
