Skip to main content

INEC drops another controversial statement on Rivers election


The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) after a long silence has said 17 LGAs out of 23 collated are in their custody and as well fixed Wednesday, March 20, 2019 for the completion of polls in six local government areas of Rivers State where elections did not hold during March 9 gubernatorial and state house of assembly elections.


The decision followed the report of the fact-finding committee set by the Commission to probe the disruption of the collation of results in areas of the state.

The Commission, in a statement on Friday night, said that collated results in 17 local government areas of Rivers state are safe in the custody of INEC while results of 21 out 32 state constituencies of the state had been declared prior to the suspension of the process by INEC.

It said it will proceed with the collation of the remaining results while the detailed timeline for completion of the election on Wednesday 20 would soon be released. The statement issued by Barrister Festus Okoye read:

“On the 10th of March 2019, the Commission suspended all electoral processes in Rivers State having determined that there was widespread disruption of collation of results of the elections conducted on the 9th day of March 2019. Subsequently, the Commission set up a Fact-Finding Committee to assess the situation and report back within 48 hours.

“The Commission met on the 15m day of March 2019 and considered the report of the Committee and established the following:

“That the Governorship and State Assembly elections took place in most of the polling units and results were announced.

“That the results from 17 Local Governments out of 23 are available and are in the Commission’s custody.

“That the Declaration and Returns for 21 State Constituencies out of 32 were made prior to the suspension.

“That collation centres were invaded by some soldiers and armed gangs resulting in the intimidation and unlawful arrest of election officials thereby disrupting the collation process.

“Consequent upon the foregoing, 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.

“INEC is committed to expeditious completion of the collation process where results of the elections have been announced.

“Will engage the security agencies at the national level and the lnter-Agency Consultative Comm
ittee at the State level to demand neutrality and professionalism of security personnel in order to secure a peaceful environment for the completion of the elections.

“Will also engage with key stakeholders in Rivers State with a view to ensuring a smooth and peaceful completion of the process.

“Will issue detailed timelines and activities for the completion of the election on Wednesday, March 20th, 2019. “

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

See How Ameachi Escaped Assassination

  See How Ameachi Escaped Assassination Yesterday, the Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Chibuike visited Port Harcourt and on his way from the Port Harcourt International Airport to Eastern By-pass, Port Harcourt, his movement was disturbed by Governor Wike's outrider. As the Minister passed through Ken Saro-Wiwa Road and connected Elekahia Road and was about crossing Nkogwu Junction to Eastern By-pass, his car was hit by the side by Governor Wike's fast moving outrider's bike. The rider of the bike immediately pulled his riffle but on realizing that the man he had hit was the former Governor of Rivers State and current Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, he retreated. The Minister left but unknown to him, some cars that were part of his convoy were blocked and occupants harassed thereafter by Governor Wike who personally went from one car to the other ordering occupants to step out and subjecting them to some level of humiliation. The Governor...

Nsima Ekere vows to complete all on-going NDDC projects

Nsima Ekere vows to complete all on-going NDDC projects The Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Mr Nsima Ekere, has restated the commitment of the Commission to complete all on-going projects in the nine Niger Delta states. Mr Ekere was speaking at the funeral service held in honour of Elder Inyang Willie Akpan, a one-time sole administrator of Southern Uruan Local Government Area and Caretaker Chairman of both Ikono and Obot Akara LGAs, at the Primary School, Afaha Itam in Itu, Akwa Ibom State on Saturday. In addition to completing on-going projects, the NDDC Chief Executive Officer promised that the Commission will construct the Mbiabong-Mkpanobong-Itam Road in Itu LGA next year. He declared: “We shall send a team to carry out a survey of the road. We shall in the year 2017 construct the road in the memory of Elder Akpan. We will be glad if at the completion of the project the local government can name the road after him.” He appealed to ...

Meet the new boss of Alvan Ikoku College of Education

Meet the new boss of Alvan Ikoku College of Education. A new boss has been appointed as chairman governing council of Alvan Ikoku College of Education. Hon. Abinye Alex-Hart was appointed recently  to head the activities of the institution. Hon. Alex-Hart was born on June 21, 1956, in Bonny, to the family of Late Pa. A.B. Hart (the famous Headmaster, Bandmaster and Choirmaster) and Late Mrs. Violet E. Alex-Hart (the famous Educator and Opera singer). He is the last child in the family of six, whose miraculous birth was an answer by God to persistent prayers for male children.  He grew up under the tutelage of a grand disciplinarian when discipline was not a story-book idea, but the merciless grinding reality of everyday life. EDUCATION: Hon. Abinye Alex-Hart began his formal education at the famous Bonny Government School, left in 1972 and proceeded to Bonny National Grammar School, where he came out with flying colours in the West African Schools Certificate Examinations ...