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ProfRem
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The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC has suspended electoral processes in the last Saturday's re-run parliamentary elections in Rivers state owing to various electoral violence.
Director of Voter Education Publicity of INEC, Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi, gave the following reasons for the suspension:
- Reports of violence, attacks and the deaths of INEC officials and adhoc personnel in the state.
- INEC personnel were relocated to Abuja yesterday due to the escalation of violence in Rivers State
- INEC conducted the polls in Rivers State pursuant to the orders of the Court of Appeal, but “rather unfortunately, some of these elections witnessed the disruption of the process, including the barricading of some of the INEC local government offices and Registration Area Centres (RACs) used for the distribution of electoral materials which led to the late commencement of the exercise in some places and consequently, its smooth take off.
- Of more serious concern was the level of threats, violence and intimidation of election officials and voters by well armed thugs and miscreants allegedly acting on behalf of some politicians, which marred the elections in some areas.
- There were reports of numerous attacks resulting in fatalities, kidnappings, ballot snatching, diversion of officials and materials, amongst others, which necessitated its suspension in 8 local government areas.
- Such deviant behaviour has continued till Sunday where several permanent and ad hoc staff engaged by the commission have been attacked, again resulting in fatalities, while some have been forcibly abducted and taken to unknown destinations
- The Returning Officers were only able to collate and declare results in one federal and nine state constituencies where the disruption and malpractices were not so widespread.
Director of Voter Education Publicity of INEC, Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi, gave the following reasons for the suspension:
- Reports of violence, attacks and the deaths of INEC officials and adhoc personnel in the state.
- INEC personnel were relocated to Abuja yesterday due to the escalation of violence in Rivers State
- INEC conducted the polls in Rivers State pursuant to the orders of the Court of Appeal, but “rather unfortunately, some of these elections witnessed the disruption of the process, including the barricading of some of the INEC local government offices and Registration Area Centres (RACs) used for the distribution of electoral materials which led to the late commencement of the exercise in some places and consequently, its smooth take off.
- Of more serious concern was the level of threats, violence and intimidation of election officials and voters by well armed thugs and miscreants allegedly acting on behalf of some politicians, which marred the elections in some areas.
- There were reports of numerous attacks resulting in fatalities, kidnappings, ballot snatching, diversion of officials and materials, amongst others, which necessitated its suspension in 8 local government areas.
- Such deviant behaviour has continued till Sunday where several permanent and ad hoc staff engaged by the commission have been attacked, again resulting in fatalities, while some have been forcibly abducted and taken to unknown destinations
- The Returning Officers were only able to collate and declare results in one federal and nine state constituencies where the disruption and malpractices were not so widespread.
