Collation officer’s husband alleges threat to wife’s life for refusing result falsification

Dr Amoniia Lulu-Briggs, the husband of the Port Harcourt City Local Government Area (PHALGA) Collation Officer for the 25 February presidential election, has raised an alarm over continued threats to the life of his wife.

Lulu-Briggs said his wife, Prof. Omiete Lulu-Briggs had been receiving several threatening calls and messages from unknown persons after the election for standing by the truth.

At the Nigeria Union of Journalists’ secretariat in Port Harcourt on Monday, Dr Lulu-Briggs said there have been strange human and vehicular movements around their residence, adding that the threats have spiralled to the university campus where his wife teaches.

A group of men had besieged the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) along Aba Road, Port Harcourt, during the collation of results on 27 February, accusing Prof. Lulu-Briggs of manipulating and running away with the PHALGA election results.

She had to be escorted into the INEC premises by armed security operatives who shielded her from being attacked.

Dr Lulu-Briggs said: “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 inasmuch 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 (IGF) and INEC know what is happening.

“This is not a 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.

He further said: “More disturbing again is even in the university community. We have to call on the university community to protect her because the fillers 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”.

While noting that citizens want the country to move forward to secure a better place for our children, he querried: “How do we do it when we start compromising our conscience?

“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 is what I want the IGP and INEC to know that it was as a result of what came out from this election”, Lulu-Briggs said with rage.