Politics
We cannot fix new date to conclude suspended Bye-Election in Rivers – INEC
Rivers APC expressed shock at suspension of Port Harcourt 3 constituency bye-election.
… Calls on INEC to conclude the process
Oba Effanga, the Resident Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC has said that it is not certain when to fix a new date for it to conclude the suspended Port Harcourt constituency 3 by-election that was marred by violence on Saturday.
Effanga said it today while addressing Journalists in the INEC office in Port-Harcourt today on behalf of two other Resident Electoral Commissioners who were in the state to help in the conduct of the yesterday botched bye-election.
Rivers REC assured that the Commission will continue to conduct credible elections in the state in spite of the roles played by the armed security personnel who accompanied hoodlums to disrupt the exercise yesterday.
Also Mike Igini, REC for Akwa-Ibom state, who spoke at press briefing estimated 100 out of 142 witnessed violence.
He said on earth of the INEC staff was stabbed and another was beaten by hoodlums, while a Corps member had a fracture on the leg bone.
The two other RECs who joined the Rivers REC to conducted the bye-election were Mike Igini from the Akwa Ibom state and Cyril Omorogbe from Bayelsa State.
Mr Obo Effanga the Rivers INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner
Obo Effanga who hails from Cross River State who was appointed REC in July, 2017.
Effanga until his deployment to Rivers state last served as the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Edo State.
He took over from Aniedi Ikoiwak who retired from service last year.
Meanwhile, while some voters expressed joy for voting unfettered, Austin Opara, the former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives expressed regrets that he could not cast his vote in his polling unit because electoral materials were allegedly carted away by members of the opposition party.
Inec cannot fix a new date for conclusion of the suspended exercise. The Rivers State Chapter of All Progressives Congress, APC, has expressed disappointment over what it called the hasty decision of the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) to suspend Saturday’s Port Harcourt Local Government Area [PHALGA] Constituency 3 bye-election process at the collation stage.
APC said it is unfortunate that what should be a mere state constituency bye-election witnessed pockets of voter intimidation, harassment, vote-buying and shooting activated by the PDP in line with their usual character of rigging elections through killing and maiming of APC members.
In a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Chris Finebone, noted that security agents gallantly rose to the occasion and effectively quelled the pockets of violence that threatened the exercise in some wards in the constituency, leading to the eventual collation of results at the St. Andrew’s premises.
However, APC and the general public were later to be informed that INEC has suspended the process at the point of collation of results.
” We want to believe that the suspension is to allow INEC officials to sort itself out and conclude the process accordingly. As a political party, APC is not questioning the judgment or discretionary powers of INEC to make decisions about the bye-election, however, such decisions must strictly conform to relevant laws guiding the system and specifically do not include cancellation of a process that has commenced.
APC reminded INEC and reassure APC members and the public that, when it comes to any election process that has commenced, the powers of INEC end at suspension of the process for evaluation and eventual conclusion. Such powers do not include cancellation as widely and erroneously peddled. It is only the tribunal or court that can decide on the cancellation of such a process on approach by relevant stakeholders.
The APC said that it views the wording of “the memo suspending the PHALGA 3 bye-election as substantially mendacious, unnecessarily alarmist and generally convoluted with sinister innuendos by the author in a way that does not represent an accurate assessment of the process so far”
The party hoped that INEC will not be misled to derail or embark on a line of action that will leave her with a legal bad nose. This will neither be to the benefit of INEC nor the system in any way.
According to APC “In view of the need to timeously conclude the bye-election process and douse the anxiety of voters in the constituency, APC calls on INEC to swiftly and fairly do the needful and subsequently conclude the process and declare the result accordingly.
The party emphasised that INEC has no luxury of options over the matter than to audit the process up to the collation stage when the process was suspended and direct action towards bringing the process to a conclusion.
Meanwhile, the APC reassures its members in PHALGA Constituency 3 and across Rivers State to be calm and go about their normal lives as INEC has no option than to do the right thing by auditing and subsequently concluding the election process it suspended at the collation stage..
Meanwhile, the Rivers APC, alleged it is greatly disappointment and shock the Government House Port Harcourt police security was used to cart away electoral materials, rig and cause general disruption in the Saturday PHALGA 3 State Constituency bye-election in Rivers State.
Accordingly to the party further alleged , in the full view of the general public, the Chief Security Officer (CSO) to Governor Nyesom Wike led armed policemen attached to the Government House to assault innocent APC party agents and supporters, snatch electoral sensitive materials and generally disrupt the bye-election with a view to rigging the process in favour of the PDP candidate or in some cases prevent lawful voters from exercising their franchise.
It was with heavy heart that APC leaders, members and the public watched on as the PDP and their officials in Rivers State used policemen and armed militants to cause fracas in some wards during the bye-election in PHALGA 3, Rivers State.
“The Rivers State chapter of APC condemns the blatant intervention in the bye-election process in PHALGA 3 by Gov. Wike’s CSO using policemen attached to the Government House, against the established guideline that such policemen are barred from accompanying officials of government to polling stations on election Day.
However, the APC applaud the brave intervention by security agents that ensured that the activities of the PDP did not substantially affect the overall outcome of the bye-election.”
It is worthy of note that the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has alerted the public on plots by some failed politicians to important political thugs and cultists to negatively influence the outcome of the Port Harcourt State Constituency Three Bye-Election on Saturday.
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Governor Wike in State wide broadcast on the eve of election day of Friday urged leaders of political parties and their candidates to advise their supporters to conduct themselves peacefully during and after the election. He said the election is not a do-or-die affair.
Governor Wike declared that all those plotting to use political thugs and cultists would be tracked down and make to face the full weight of government and extant laws.
He said: “Furthermore, we have it on good authority that some failed politicians are planning to use cultists and political thugs to intimidate voters and attempt to disrupt the voting process.
“I wish to reiterate that the Rivers State Government will not close its eyes to such thoughtless acts by any person or group of persons to deny our people their God-given right to freely and fairly elect their leaders. We shall not hesitate to apply the full weight and force of government and the law on any delinquent.
