Due to Rivers
election marred by high incidents of violence INEC has suspended the
announcement of results from last Saturday’s National and State Assembly
election in Rivers state.
The
suspension is contained in a statement released by Oluwole Osaze- Uzzi, INEC’s
Director of Voter Education and Publicity.
The statement
reads in part……………….
“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. 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”.
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