The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has disclosed the next step it would take regarding the suspended gubernatorial and state houses of assembly elections in Rivers state.
Festus Okoye, the commissions national commissioner, Information and Voter Education made the step known to newsmen yesterday evening, Friday15, March 2019.
He said that the commission’s fact finding commitee has confirmed that results from the elections which held in March 9 were announced in 17 Local Governments out of 23 before the suspension, and that the commission will soon reveal details on when it would conduct elections in the remaing six LGA’s.
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Mr. Okoye also revealved that results were declared and returned for 21 state constituencies out of 32 before the suspension.
Furthermore, INEC confirmed that elections in the state were marred with violence, interruption of election process by Soldiers and armed gangs which disrupt collation process and also a deliberate act to subvert the will of the people.
“The commission expresses its displeasure with the role played by some soldiers and armed gangs in Rivers state disrupting the collation process and attempting to subvert the will of the people” – Mr. Okoye said
The Electoral commission said that the elections in the state will be completed on Wednesday March 20th, 2019.
INEC said it would engage security agencies in the national level and also Inter-Agency Consultative Committee at the State level to demand for a neutral ground of operation by security agencies to provide a peaceful atmosphere for conduct of elections in the state.
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The commission also said it has plans to engage core stakeholders in the state in an attempt to ensure smooth and peaceful completion of the election process.
