The State Collation Officer for the February 25 presidential election in Rivers State and Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Otuoke, Prof. Teddy Adias, has been receiving death threats alongside his family members.
Adias alleged this in a statement he authored, entitled, ‘My stewardship, my bond as state collation officer for the 2023 presidential election, Rivers state.’
In it, the troubled VC said he is in receipt of several death threats via text messages, phone calls and online from faceless persons, accusing him of being paid to favour a particular candidate and party with rigging during February 25 elections.
He denied having rigging power as a collation officer of the state, saying he acted completely above board.
The remark in part, “By this arrangement it is quite impossible for a State Collation Officer for the Presidential Election to manipulate scores that had already been counted, recorded, confirmed, signed, and stamped by Officers at the lower levels of Collation (Unit, Ward, and LGA).
“Looking at the scope and modalities of my job as well as my neutrality as a Vice-Chancellor, how could anyone have imagined to the extent of alleging that I was out to favour any candidate or political party in the Presidential Elections?
“To put the records straight, I began to receive several phone calls and text messages threatening, abusing and insulting my person and family on February 26, 2023 while I was on my way to Port Harcourt to report to duty not knowing that my photograph and phone number had already been circulated on the social media, especially Facebook and Twitter alleging that I had been detailed to influence votes and scores for Candidate(s) in the elections by manipulating the BVAS machines in Rivers State among others.”
