INEC has suspended the announcement of results from last Saturday's
National and State Assembly election in Rivers state. The election was
marred by high incidents of violence. The suspension is contained in a
statement released by Oluwole Osaze- Uzzi, INEC's Director of Voter
Education and Publicity. The statement reads in part
"The 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. Regrettably, such deviant behaviour has continued today. Several
permanent and ad hoc staff engaged have been attacked, again resulting
in fatalities, while some have been forcibly abducted and taken to
presently unknown destinations. Under such difficult circumstance, the
Returning Officers were only able to collate and declare results in 1
Federal and 9 State constituencies where the disruption and malpractices
were not so widespread. Having reviewed the situation, the Commission
is compelled to suspend all further action concerning the exercise in
all the other constituencies in the State pending the receipt of a
comprehensive report from its Field Officials and Monitors. For the
avoidance of doubt, it should be noted that the suspension does not
affect the constituencies where the exercise has been completed and the
results declared by the Returning Officers”.
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