TVC E – The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Rivers State, Aniedi Ikoiwak, says the commission was still studying the situation in the 15 other LGAs.
The REC had earlier on Sunday afternoon, announced the cancellation of elections in two more Local Government Areas: Etche and Asari-Toru.
Besides Etche and Asari-Toru LGAs, the rerun was on Saturday cancelled in Khana, Bonny, Gokana, Andoni, Tai and Eleme, due to irregularities and violence, with new date to be fixed after the audit of INEC’s personnel and materials, as well as meeting with the stakeholders.
Unconfirmed results released Sunday afternoon by the Rivers House of Assembly collation officers indicated that the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) “defeated” their counterparts of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and others in Emohua, Degema and Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni constituencies.
The Rivers REC of INEC, personally signed a statement, dated March 20, 2016 and titled: “Suspension of Elections in Etche and Asari-Toru LGAs,” to announce the cancellation of elections in the two more LGAs.
“Further to our earlier pronouncement of the suspension of the rerun elections in the six LGAs of Khana, Bonny, Gokana, Andoni, Tai and Eleme, following disturbances and violence that impeded the electoral process in those parts of the state, it has also become necessary to suspend the elections in Etche and Asari-Toru LGAs, for the same reasons.
“This suspension of the rerun elections by INEC is necessitated by the need to forestall breakdown of law and order or loss of lives and property, in the event of further aggravation of crisis.
“INEC needs to put all stakeholders on notice that we are still studying the situation in the other 15 LGAs, where collation of results is currently going on,” Ikoiwak said.
