Daniel Efe/Port Harcourt
Ahead of the June 16 local government election in Rivers State, Unknown gunmen suspected to be Arsonists early hours of Friday burnt down the office of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, RISEC, office in Bori, the headquarters of Khana local government area.
The gunmen left on their trail expended bullets and destruction of many vital and sensitive documents slated for the conduct of the local government election.
Bori, which is also the traditional headquarters of the Ogoni ethnic nationality has record of electoral violence. In 2015, the Liaison office of Senator Magnus Abe and office of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, was also set ablaze by arsonists.
However, the Director of Public Affair and Civil Education, Director Public Affairs/Civic Education, Mrs. Menney-Amgbare Sarah Hope, confirmed that some sensitive documents meant for the conduct of the election were burnt.
He also said that some expended bullets were recovered at the scene of the incident. No live was lost.
Ahead of the election, there have been accusations and counter accusations by Aspirants into various Councillorship positions under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, that some persons have been imposed on the party as favoured candidates for election against rules of the party.
Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Rivers State are boycotting the election because they argued the planned election is subjudice as it has case in Court challenging the sacking of the 23 local government councils chairmen and councilors elected under APC.