TVC E. The decision by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to release the result of March 19 legislative rerun elections in Tai Local Government Area of Rivers State has resulted in verbal war between Peoples Democratic (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC).
INEC National Commissioner, Amina Zakari, had, at a stakeholders’ meeting in Port Harcourt, said the commission would release results of the rerun elections in Tai.
Rivers State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Aniedi Ikoiwak, had earlier announced the cancellation of the legislative rerun elections in the council, following alleged violence and other electoral malpractices.But shortly after the cancellation, APC cried blue murder, alleging that Governor Nyesom Wike influenced the REC’s action.
After Zakari announced that INEC would reverse the cancellation, the state chapter of PDP raised the alarm, condemning the action.
PDP Chairman, Chief Felix Obuah, threatened that the party would resist any attempt to announce the results.
Obuah, who spoke through his media aide, Mr. Jerry Needam, said INEC’s decision was a calculated attempt to plunge the state into chaos and to disenfranchise many citizens.
He reminded the INEC national commissioner how PDP had, in the past, raised objections, including writing petitions to the electoral umpire and warned against, “the desperation by the APC and its candidates, Magnus Abe and Mpigi, to compel the commission to announce results for elections that were cancelled by the same INEC.”
Obuah urged President Muhammadu Buhari to call INEC to order in order to avoid anarchy in the state.
Reacting to the development, APC candidate for Rivers South-East Senatorial District in the legislative rerun election, Senator Magnus Abe, urged PDP to challenge INEC’s decision in court.
Abe, who spoke to newsmen in Port Harcourt on Sunday the 21st, said INEC only righted the injustice meted to APC by the cancellation, adding that the election in Tai council was conducted, collated and returned by the returning officers, thereby making the results valid.
He said the REC acted outside his powers by announcing the cancellation of the results, adding: “That was why INEC national commissioner revalidated the results.”
Senator Abe alleged that the reason the REC cancelled the election was to please Governor Wike and the PDP.
Join TVC News BBM Channel C0021B67E
Follow Us On Instagram – TVCconnect
Follow us on twitter – @TVCconect
Like us on Facebook – TVCconnect
