The bye-election for Ahoada East Constituency II in the Rivers State House of Assembly held on Saturday, February 21, 2026, was peaceful, orderly and largely free of irregularities, despite recording low voter turnout amid widespread voter apathy.
The poll, conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of former lawmaker Hon. Edison Ehie, saw voting materials arrive at polling units before 10 a.m. in various wards across the constituency.
Our correspondent who monitored the exercise across multiple polling units, observed a thin turnout of voters throughout the day.
Processes were described as smooth, with seamless accreditation and voting aided by good network connectivity for the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).
A polling officer, Mr. Agaje Fiogopa, attributed the hitch-free operation of BVAS machines to reliable network support.
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Voters who spoke at units in Ward 9 (Unit 1), Ward 5 (Unit 17), and Wards 6 (Units 2 to 6) praised INEC for improvements in the voting process, describing it as efficient and trouble-free.
The APC candidate, Mr. Napoleon Ukpalike commended INEC for providing a level playing field for all contestants.
Chairman of Ahoada East Local Government Area, Mr. Solomon Abuba-Ochoma, lauded security agencies for their professionalism, which he said contributed significantly to the smooth conduct of the exercise.
As of the time of filing this report, counting and collation of results have been completed at polling units and wards, with the final declaration of the winner awaited from INEC officials.
The election took place against the backdrop of restricted movements in the area by the Rivers State Police Command to ensure peace and credibility.
