The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC says it will conduct supplementary elections in areas where elections did not take place and/or where returns could not be made on Saturday, 9th March 2019 alongside the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections.
INEC had indicated to postpone elections in some parts of Rivers, Anambara and Lagos States where polls could not hold due to the burning of election materials and other acts of violence.
Festus Okoye, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman Voter Education and Publicity Committee gave this indication while briefing journalists on the update of the Presidential and National Assembly elections on Saturday, 23rd February.
Okoye had said, “the Commission received reports of violence and ballot box snatching in some areas leading to the disruption of the process. We have asked the Resident Electoral Commissioners and Officials of the Commission on ground to submit their first hand reports in relation to some of these incidence.
“We are still receiving reports relating to incidents in some states of the Federation but we have received reports relating to the incidence in Akoko Tulo and Boni Local government areas of Rivers state.
“So long as the Commission could not deploy in these areas, the implication is that polls did not open in those areas and the Commission will hold consultations with the relevant authorities and with the Resident Electoral Commissioners in relation to these areas and will announce the date when polls will take place in these areas.
“In relation to the issue of burning of electoral materials and disruption of the electoral process, we have reports of some of these incidence from Anambara and we have reports of burning of electoral materials in Lagos”, Okoye said.
INEC at the end of a post mortem meeting between National Commissioners and State Resident Electoral Commissioners revolved to conduct fresh elections in those areas that witnessed high cancellation of votes and inconclusive elections due to disruptions and deliberate noncompliance with the use of the Smart Card Reader (SCR), contrary to the lNEC Regulations and Guidelines for the conduct of elections.
INEC National Spokesman, Okoye in a statement made available to journalists on Friday in Abuja said the Commission was worried about the violence during the presidential and National Assembly elections and would meet security agencies to review security arrangements for the forthcoming Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections.
“The Independent National Electoral Commisslon (INEC) met on Thursday 28‘” February 2019 with its Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) to review the Presidential and National Assembly Elections held on Saturday, 23″ February 2019 and assess preparations for the Governorship, State Houses of Assembly and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council Elections slated for Saturday, 9th March 2019.
“The meeting acknowledged the delays in the commencement of elections in a number of polling units which necessitated the extension of the closing of polls in the affected areas. The Commission is determined to rectify the identified challenges before the elections on 9‘” March.
“The meeting noted a number of cancellations in certain areas due to violence, which prevented the Commission from deploying personnel and materials for the elections. In a number of locations, it could not conclude the elections due to disruptions and deliberate noncompliance with the use of the Smart Card Reader (SCR), contrary to the lNEC Regulations and Guidelines for the conduct of elections.
“Consequently, the meeting decided that supplementary elections will be conducted in all areas where elections did not take place and/or where returns could not be made on Saturday, 9th March 2019 alongside the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections.
“The meeting also assessed the role of security agencies in the elections. While acknowledging their professionalism in the deployment of election personnel and materials in a safe and timely manner, the conduct of certain members of the security agencies in some states is a matter of serious concern to the Commission. This matter will be further discussed directly with the lnspector-General of Police within the ambit of the lnter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) in preparation for the Governorship, State Houses of Assembly and PCT Area Council elections.
“Although the elections were generally peaceful, the meeting observed and decried the high level of violence in a few places, which regrettably led to fatalities in some States, In addition to the subjugation of some of our electoral officials to threats, harassment, intimidation, assault, abduction and even rape.
“The Commission condoles with the families of its ad-hoc staff who lost their lives while on this national assignment, as well as other Nigerians who died in the course of the elections. It also expresses its deep regrets to and sympathy for all victims of this mindless violence. We stand with them in these difficult times.
“The RECs were directed to submit comprehensive reports of these incidents to the Commission for appropriate action.
“The meeting also considered and received updates on preparations for the elections slated for Saturday, 9‘” March 2019. It expressed satisfaction with the level of preparedness and the deployments of sensitive and non-sensitive materials scheduled for delivery to the Registration Area Centres (RACS) on Friday, 8th March 2019 and noted that this was on course.
“Going forward, RECs were further directed to engage with and provide regular updates to stakeholders on the state of preparations for the elections”, the statement read.
