INEC Postpones Rerun Elections In Rivers Over Insecurity

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has again postponed the re-run election into some Assembly seats in Rivers State due to reported cases of violence in the affected areas.The commission in a statement signed by the Secretary to the Commission, Mrs. Augusta C. Ogakwu,

said it had been compelled to further postpone the conduct of the suspended national and state legislative elections in the state earlier tentatively scheduled for July 30, 2016, due to recorded cases of violence, intimidation and a general atmosphere of fear in some areas where the elections were to
be conducted.It regretted that one of the earlier stipulated conditions for return to the state for the conclusion of the elections had not been met, despite widespread consultations with all major stakeholders in Rivers State.It stated: “While the commission reiterated its readiness to conclude the outstanding elections, it also indicated its readiness to review and reconsider the suggested date as the security situation unfolded in the state.”The commission further explained that it took the decision to postpone the elections based on unanimous reports on periodic electoral risk assessment by security agencies, relevant extra ministries departments and agencies (MDAs) and civil society organisations (CSOs), carried out in the three and a half weeks since the decision was reached to schedule the elections on, July 30, 2016, at the National Stakeholders’ meeting which was held on June 30, 2016 in Abuja.INEC said: “In the commission’s view, the rhetorics of some of the political actors, the incidence of violence in a number of the local government areas where these elections are scheduled and the atmosphere of fear and intimidation created by these rhetorics and violence, all indicate a clear and present danger in proceeding with the election as earlier scheduled. This situation is now further worsened by direct attacks on the commission, of which the most recent and glaring was the burning down of the INEC office in Khana Local Government Area on  July 22, 2016.”“The commission assured all voters and stakeholders of its readiness to conclude elections in Rivers State within the shortest time possible once the security situation was deemed conducive for the conduct of peaceful elections. It stressed that: “anything less than this would not be in the interest of the people of the state and the nation at large.”Meanwhile, the acting Inspector for General of Police (IG), Ibrahim Idris, Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mr. Musa Daura, the Minister of Transport, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, and the Governor of Rivers State, Mr. Nyesom Wike, met late yesterday over the rerun elections in the state.In a statement made available to the media by the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Donald Awunah, said: “In order to guarantee a violent-free and credible rerun elections into the Senate, House of Representatives and state House of Assembly in Rivers State, a crucial meeting to chart the path to peace in Rivers State before, during and after the re-run elections in the state was held between the IG, Idris and Director-General of DSS, Daura.”