The Independent National Electoral
Commision (INEC) has said it will continue to conduct rerun in Rivers
State if politicians fails to support the commission in creating
peaceful environment.
Mr. Iniedi
Ikoiwak Abasi, state Resident Electoral Commissioner, made it known on
Tuesday the 14th of June, 2016 in a consultative meeting with
management and critical stakeholders at the Police Officers Mess, port
harcort.
The commissioner in giving
his reasons said, the major set back that had led to the suspension of
election in some parts of the state during March 19th rerun election was
as a result of some unlawful practices by political gladiators who
wanted to stay at home and cook up results. He noted that it was thesame
people wanting to snatch ballot boxes, just to create wrong signals in
where they feel they will lose. In furthering his assertions, he said
politicians in the previous elections were so confortable in wanting to
do the INEC work for them by creating uncondusive environment. he
pointed that even when guidelines were given partaining to where the
racks will be kept, politicians were still following the racks the night
to electioin day.
He however
dismissed the claims about fake election materials stressing that nobody
could prove him wrong by bringing what they term to be fake material up
till date.
Mr. Ikoiwak also said the
commission will fix a date for the rerun from now till July 31st 2016,
stressing that it could only be done when the political parties and
their followers agrees to conduct themselves in a peaceful manner. He
said at a point, parents were withdrawing their children from
partaking in the adhoc jobs in Rivers following the irregularities
rocking the state. He further expressed dissattisfaction over the
insecurity callengies that occured during the previous election and
observed a minute silience for the victims that lost their lives.
Meanwhile,
Mr. Ikoiwak urged politicians to desist from statements and actions
that could lead to rancour stressing, that those were some of the issues
that made the state not to have any senator representing them currently
at the national level.
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