The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Edwin Enabor

  • INEC declares Sekibo winner of Rivers East Senatorial election

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Sen. Thompson Sekibo of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as winner of the Rivers East Senatorial Election.

    Mr. Edwin Enabor, INEC Head, Voters Education and Publicity in the state disclosed this in a statement on Thursday in Port Harcourt.

    Enabor said Sekibo won the election held on Feb. 23 after polling 283,759 votes.

    He said Mr Apiafi Jocelyn of the PDP also won the Rivers West Senatorial poll with 159,215 votes.

    Enabor also declared Mr. Dagogo Fara of the PDP, winner of Degema/ Bonny federal constituency election with 30,422 votes.

    Others are Mrs. Nwankwo Promise of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) who won the Oyibo state constituency seat with 26,675 votes.

    Read Also: Updated: INEC declares Wike re-elected in Rivers

    Mr. Anthony Soberekon of PDP who won the Degema constituency seat with 10,976 votes, Mr Bariene Deleyah of PDP who won in Khana 1 seat with 64,269 votes and Mr. Prince Ngbor of the PDP who won the Khana 11 seat with 39,681 votes.

    He said the state House of Assembly outstanding supplementary election would hold on the April 13.

    He said the election would hold in 20 polling units in Opobo/ Nkoro, 47 polling units in Ahoada West among others.

    NAN

  • Breaking: APC members in Rivers block INEC headquarters

    … insist electoral commission must obey Court of Appeal ruling to relist party, candidates

     

    Thousands of protesting members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, from 8 a.m. today, blocked the main entrance of Rivers headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Aba Road in Port Harcourt, insisting that the electoral commission must obey the ruling of Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt and relist the main opposition party in the state (APC) and its candidates.

    The aggrieved protesters, who were armed with placards bearing various inscriptions and chanting: “No APC, no elections in Rivers State,” were led by the party’s candidate for Rivers Southeast Senatorial District, Oji Ngofa, who is Nigeria’s Ambassador to The Netherlands.

    INEC’s Head of Voter Education and Publicity, Mr. Edwin Enabor, addressed the protesters and he informed them that the Resident Electoral Commission (REC) in Rivers, Mr. Obo Effanga, had not got to the office.

    Ngofa, however, insisted that he and other APC members would not leave, until their protest letter was personally handed over to the REC of INEC in Rivers, for onward transmission to the National Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.

    The protesters were still in front of INEC office, with the gate still blocked, as at press time.

  • Voters card collection low in Rivers – INEC

    Mr Edwin Enabor, the Head, Voter Education, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in Rivers has criticized the low rate of voter cards collection in the state.

    Enabor told newsmen in Port Harcourt on Friday that a large number of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) meant for the electorate in Rivers were still unclaimed.

    “The rate at which registrants from the state are collecting their cards is very low; we have a large number of cards lying unclaimed.

    “This is worrisome because these cards are meant to qualify people to participate in the forthcoming elections,’’ he said.

     

    Read Also: Rivers company protests unpaid salary

     

    He said that only about 118,000 cards had so far been claimed since the collection exercise began in September.

    The INEC official urged members of the public who participated in the just concluded registration exercise in the state to collect the PVCs at INEC designated offices.

    He further said that the commission was expecting to take delivery of voter cards for the final batch of registrants within a period of two weeks.

    “We shall continue to create the needed awareness, our expectation is that members of the public will utilize the opportunity to obtain their cards,’’ he said.

  • Rivers bye-election: Poll to hold in 142 units

    …over 1000 ad-hoc/INEC officers to conduct the exercise INEC

    …200 NYSC members to serve as presiding officers

     

    The Rivers state governor, Nyesom Wike on Friday declared that the Port Harcourt Local Government Area (PHLGA), state House of Assembly bye-election holding today is not a do or die affair.

    PHALGA constituency 3, state legislative seat became vacant last June, following the resignation of the former member, Victor Ihunwo who won the LGA chairmanship election and became the mayor of Port Harcourt on June 18, 2018.

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has scheduled to hold the election to fill up the seat today.

    The Head voter Education, in the state Mr. Edwin Enabor on Friday said the exercise will hold in 142 units in the constituency with over 800 Ad-hoc staff, and 200 INEC staff to conduct the elections.

    Enabor said the new face of INEC in the state notorious for violent elections is set to change the narrative in the state by conducting violent free, fair and credible exercise today.

    He said four political parties fielded candidates for the poll and assured a level playing ground for all.

    He disclosed that hundreds of card Reader machines that will be used in the election are ready and 200 NYSC members trained for the exercise will serve as presiding officer will INEC staff will handle the non-sensitive aspect of the exercise, especially organizing the polling centres and ensuring orderliness.

    The political parties are The APC, PDP, Democratic Alternative (DA) and Mass Movement of Nigeria (MMN).

    Wike in a statewide broadcast on Friday said, “I wish to reiterate that this election, important as it is, must not be taken as a do or die affair. I therefore urge leaders of political parties and their candidates to advise their supporters to peacefully conduct themselves during and after the bye-election.

    “The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has promised that the bye-election shall be free, fair and credible.

    “The Security agencies, especially the Police have also promised to ensure adequate security for eligible voters and poll officials to ensure a peaceful, credible, and fair election.

    “The people of Rivers State expect and demand nothing less. Consequently, we take INEC and the security agencies at their word and expect them to deliver a bye-election in the affected constituency devoid of any electoral malfeasance.

    “I therefore call on all eligible voters in these communities to come out in your numbers not only to vote for the party and candidate of your choice but also to defend your votes and ensure  your votes count.”

    Speaking further Wike said “This is civic duty you must discharge with all sense of responsibility to guarantee a better representation for your constituency. Otherwise, you will only have yourselves to blame when things go wrong with the quality of your representation in the State House of Assembly.

    “For us, free, fair and credible electoral choice is the hallmark of democracy and good governance. As a prelude to the 2019 general elections, this election is equally important to the entire Rivers State.

    “Accordingly, the Rivers State Government has put adequate measures to ensure that the bye-election is highly successful and the outcome generally acceptable.

    “Consequently, I warn all residents and visitors to comply with the restriction order as the law enforcement agencies are under strict instructions to arrest and prosecute anyone caught violating this order.”

    He disclosed alleged plans in some quarters of the state to create trouble during the polls and expressed the readiness of the state to resist such act.

    “Furthermore, we have it on good authority that some failed politicians are planning to use cultists and political thugs to intimidate voters and attempt to disrupt the voting process.

    Read Also: Total oil, communities renew pact in Rivers

    “I wish to reiterate that the Rivers State Government will not close its eyes to such thoughtless acts by any person or group of persons to deny our people their God-given right to freely and fairly elect their leaders. We shall not hesitate to apply the full weight and force of government and the law on any delinquent.

    “We therefore advise all those who have no business with the election process to, in their own interest, keep their distance from the constituency during the duration of the bye-election.

    “We note with satisfaction the high level of determination and enthusiasm among the voters in Port Harcourt Constituency III to effectively participate in next Saturday’s bye-election.

    “That’s left is for you to translate this momentum into reality by coming out in your numbers to vote for the party and candidate of your choice and ensure that the person you voted for is lawfully returned by the INEC.

    Enabor said, “We have received sensitive materials from the Central Bank yesterday(Thursday), we will be taking them to the RAC center any moment. The Ad-hoc staffs are expected to take off to their various polling units, tomorrow.

    “We are ready for the polls, we have held series of meetings with stakeholders and the candidates have taken to signing an undertaking to ensure peaceful environment and also pledged to bring their party members and supporters under control, and also agree to accept whatever be the outcome of the exercise.

    “This is the first election of this set of INEC in the state and we intend to change the perception of election in Rivers state, that no electing can be done here without violent, we are expecting total peace, free and fair exercise.” he assured.