INEC urges stakeholders to support credible rerun elections in Rivers

The Independent National Electoral Commission [ INEC] National Commissioner, May Agbamuche-Mbu has called on the political class and stakeholders to support the commission in conducting credible conclusive rerun elections in Rivers.

The News Agency of Nigeria [ NAN] reports that INEC had fixed Saturday, Feb. 25, 2017 to conclude the conduct of the suspended legislative rerun elections in Etche and Omuma councils in Rivers.

NAN reports that Agbamuche-Mbu is the INEC National Commissioner supervising Edo, Rivers and Bayelsa states.

Agbamuche-Mbu who made the call at an INEC interactive forum at Okehi in Etche Local Government Area in Rivers on Thursday, noted that the commission was ready to conduct free and fair elections the two councils.

She appealed to the electorate to conduct themselves properly during the elections to ensure that there is no crisis in the process.

The INEC national Commissioner said that the commission would take delivery of sensitive materials on Friday, Feb. 24 from the Central Bank of Nigeria and distribute them to the polling units subsequently.

She assured the electorate that the security agencies had given adequate assurance of their security, electoral materials and INEC personnel before, during and after the elections.

Agbamuche-Mbu stressed that the Permanent Voters Cards [ PVC] and the Smart Card Readers would be used for the elections.

She urged the electorate not to be jittery over the potency of the Card Readers, adding that provision would be made in case of its malfunction.

The INEC National Commissioner stated that INEC officials would be on hand to report any anomaly on the Card Readers to the appropriate quarters.

Agbamuche-Mbu said that because of the importance the commission attached to the forthcoming rerun elections at Etche and Omuma, it was poised to prosecute anybody found wanting.

‘’ We appeal for calm and responsible attitude of both the electorate and the political class, we assure you of peaceful, fair and credible electoral process in the forthcoming exercise, ‘’ she added.

She urged the people of the two local government areas to help the Commission conduct the rerun elections peacefully in a bid to avert a repeat of the present situation.

In his remarks, the Rivers Resident Electoral Commissioner, Aniedi Ikoiwak, lamented that other constituencies whose elections were suspended had peacefully had their elections conducted.

He urged the people of Etche and Omuma constituencies to play by the rule of the game to ensure peaceful, free and credible electoral process to avoid crisis.

Ikoiwak noted that INEC attached so much importance to the forthcoming conclusive rerun elections in the councils, which informed the involvement of INEC national officers and senior officers of other agencies.

He reiterated the readiness of INEC in conducting free, fair and credible conclusive rerun legislative elections for the two constituencies in the state.

The REC said that Rivers was the only state that had not witnessed the distribution of the Permanent Voters Cards.

Ikoiwak stressed that the delay was consequent upon the circumstances leading to the suspension and delay in the conclusion of the conduct of the rerun legislative elections in the state.

He assured the electorate that all the polling units would be provided with the Smart Card Readers for the forthcoming rerun elections.

The REC urged the political class, the electorate and the entire stakeholders in the affected areas to allow the process to be peaceful, free and fair.

He appealed to the people not to indulge in electoral violence and snatching of electoral materials to make the process easy for the Commission to carry out its functions.

Also speaking, the State Director of the National Orientation Agency, [ NOA] Oliver Wolugbom, urged the candidates for the rerun elections to see the exercise as a call to duty.

He called on them not to see the exercise as a do or die affair, adding that they should not turn it into a battle field but to bear the spirit of sportsmanship.

The Rivers NOA boss advised the candidates not to force themselves on the people but should rather lobby for their votes.

‘’ I plead with the political class that elections are not battle fields, it is a contest, we must stop the idea of using thugs during elections, people should not die because of elections, ‘’ he said.

In his remarks, the Ag. Rivers Police Commissioner, Ahmed Magaji, assured the people of adequate security before, during and after the rerun elections in the two councils.

Magaji who doubles as the Chairman of the Inter Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security in Rivers, urged the people  not to fight themselves because of the elections.

He solicited the cooperation and support of the people to enable the police carry out their security functions effectively towards ensuring peaceful, free and fair conclusive rerun elections in the area.

NAN reports that other stakeholders who spoke at the forum called on INEC, security agencies and others involved in the elections to ensure credible exercise.