Rivers INEC resumes collation despite calls for cancellation

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Rivers State has resumed collation of elections.

INEC had suspended the exercise in the face of outcry over attacks and snatching of ballot boxes, result sheets and the BVAS machine.

Addressing the press before resumption,
Johnson Alalibo Sinikiem, the
Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), said the briefing was necessary at this time that the electorate was very expectant of the out-come of their wishes.

Saying the wishes were sacrosanct he said the commission has the duty of protecting the wishes of the masses in the elections of 25th February, 2023, that is the Presidential, Senatorial and House of Representative Elections.

He went on: “I have in this Collation Centre, our major stakeholders (Political Party Agents, Security Agencies, International and Local Observers, Civil Society Organisations, Media and members of staff of INEC Rivers State that were involved in the process of elections.
Results were collated primarily from the polling units via form EC8A, EC8A(I), EC8A(II) for the Presidential, Senatorial and the House of Representative Elections respectively.
The Election went on smoothly in all L.G.As, though the presiding officers had a teething problem of uploading results from polling units to the INEC Results Viewing Portal (IREV). This is as a result of poor network which is a national issue.”

In all the places that election did not hold yesterday due to one reason or the other, he said, apart from violence, that will not affect the outcome of the election, he said he had received clearance from the Headquarters to go ahead and organise elections there within the shortest reasonable time.”

On arrival of results from the collation centres, he stayed further, they will kick-start to collate at the state level.
“Collation shall be going on simultaneously at other Constituency Collation Centres for Senatorial and House of Representative elections.

“During the cause of the proceedings there may be interlude for adjournments.
I want to urge the citizenry of Rivers State and our stakeholders to have patients and hope in our process of electioneering because any vote cast in this election must count.”

He did not address the outcry over bands that went round snatching results and BVAS all Saturday evening, and the fear that they must have rewritten results and fed into the BVAS unto the INEC Portal.
Ahoada West – 12 Wards

APC – 3443

PDP – 2582

LP – 4634

SDP – 147

Tai – 10 Wards