RismadarVoice Reporters, June 21, 2026
Voters in Bera and Biara communities of Gokana Local Government Area have commended the peaceful conduct of the Rivers South-East Senatorial District bye-election, describing the exercise as free, fair, and credible.
Speaking with journalists after casting their votes at Unit 1, Ward 17, some of the voters expressed satisfaction with the turnout and the orderly nature of the election.
They expressed optimism that the outcome of the poll would reflect the wishes of the electorate and produce credible representation for the senatorial district.
The voters urged those who eventually emerge victorious to justify the confidence reposed in them by the people through responsive and people-oriented leadership.
They called on elected officials to prioritise the provision of critical infrastructure, implement policies that address economic hardship, and improve the living standards of citizens across their communities.
According to them, public office holders must remain accountable to the electorate and ensure the delivery of tangible dividends of democracy.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Rainbow Coalition in Rivers State, Senator Magnus Abe, described the election as peaceful, free, fair, and transparent.
Speaking after monitoring the exercise, Senator Abe expressed confidence that the poll would produce a successful outcome across the Rivers South-East Senatorial District.
He commended residents who turned out to vote despite the rainfall and urged eligible voters to continue participating actively in the democratic process.
According to him, meaningful change can only be achieved when citizens exercise their civic responsibility by voting, while also applauding electoral authorities for improvements in the conduct of the election.
Similarly, the member representing Khana/Gokana Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Dumnamene Robinson Dekor, described the bye-election as largely peaceful despite challenges posed by persistent rainfall and technical issues associated with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).
Speaking shortly after casting his vote at Ward 9, Unit 8, Dekor noted that the heavy rainfall initially affected voter turnout but said more residents came out to participate as weather conditions improved.
He explained that although his accreditation was completed in less than a minute, several voters experienced difficulties with BVAS machines, a challenge he said was reported in a number of polling units across the local government area.
Despite the challenges, the lawmaker expressed satisfaction with the overall conduct of the election and commended voters for their resilience and commitment to the democratic process.
