The Independent National Electoral Commission has suspended announcement of results of Saturday’s re-run elections in Rivers State.
The commission’s Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi, said the “elections witnessed the disruption of the process, including the barricading of some of the INEC Local Government offices and Registration Area Centres(RACs) used for the distribution of Electoral materials which led to the late commencement of the exercise in some places and consequently, its smooth take off.”
Read full statement below;
STATEMENT BY THE INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION(INEC) ON THE NATIONAL AND STATE ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS IN RIVERS STATE
Pursuant to the Orders of the Court of Appeal, the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) conducted elections into various seats in both the National and the Rivers State House of Assembly yesterday, the 19th of March, 2016.
Rather unfortunately, some of these elections witnessed the disruption of the process, including the barricading of some of the INEC Local Government offices and Registration Area Centres(RACs) used for the distribution of Electoral materials which led to the late commencement of the exercise in some places and consequently, its smooth take off.
Of more serious concern was the level of threats, violence and intimidation of election officials and voters by well armed thugs and miscreants allegedly acting on behalf of some politicians, which marred the elections in some areas. There were reports of numerous attacks resulting in fatalities, kidnappings, ballot snatching, diversion of officials and materials, amongst others, which necessitated its suspension in 8 Local Government Areas.
Regrettably, such deviant behaviour has continued today. Several permanent and ad hoc staff engaged have been attacked, again resulting in fatalities, while some have been forcibly abducted and taken to presently unknown destinations.
Under such difficult circumstance, the Returning Officers were only able to collate and declare results in 1 Federal and 9 State constituencies where the disruption and malpractices were not so widespread.
Having reviewed the situation, the Commission is compelled to suspend all further action concerning the exercise in all the other constituencies in the State pending the receipt of a comprehensive report from its Field Officials and Monitors. For the avoidance of doubt, it should be noted that the suspension does not affect the constituencies where the exercise has been completed and the results declared by the Returning Officers.
Oluwole Osaze- Uzzi,
Director, Voter Education and Publicity, INEC
Officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, had on Saturday survived heavy gun attacks in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State, a collation officer, Allwell Egeonu, has said.
The collation officer, a lecturer at the University of Port Harcourt, said the attack started at about 7:30 P.M. when collation was about to start in Isiokpo, headquarters of Ikwerre LGA.
“It took over 30 minutes shooting,” he said in a video interview where he described the attack. “We are lucky to have returned alive.”
Ikwere is the home local government of former Rivers state governor, Rotimi Amaechi.
Mr Amaechi is now Nigeria’s transport Minister and a leader of the All Progressives Congress, the local opposition party in Rivers State.
The narration by the collation officer buttresses the violence that characterized the Saturday’s legislative elections in the state.
Meanwhile, Results have been declared in 10 constituencies, with the Peoples Democratic Party winning in nine, leaving the All Progressives Congress (APC) with one.
Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi, INEC’s director in charge of voter education and publicity, said the suspension does not affect constituencies where the exercise has been completed and results declared by the returning officers.
Results have been declared in 10 constituencies, with the Peoples Democratic Party winning in nine, leaving the All Progressives Congress (APC) with one.
The constituencies where the PDP won are: Degema, Akuku Toru I, Akuku Toru II Ahoada East I, Ahoada East II, Emohua, Omuma, Obio/Akpor I Obio/Akpor I, while APC emerged victorious only in Opobo/Nkoro.
Be sure to check back here for more updates on 2016 Rivers Rerun Election.
