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Tag: Rivers Re-run

  • No election in Rivers until atmosphere is conducive – INEC

    No election in Rivers until atmosphere is conducive – INEC

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that elections in the affected part of Rivers state will be conducted at a later date after due consultations with stakeholders.

    The commission however said, that it will need assurances from the stakeholders of a conducive environment before it will conduct not return to Rivers state unless it’s assured of conducive environment.

    The re-run elections were suspended in some part of the state as a result of outbreak of violence.

    The commission in a statement signed Friday by the Director, Voter Education and Publicity; Mr. Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi said “INEC will at a date to be decided, conduct fresh elections. Even so, this will only be after due consultations with stakeholders and subject to the advice of the security agencies and guarantees by the political parties, candidates and their supporters.”

    The commission also agreed to conclude and make returns in constituencies where it is satisfied that voting and collation were done in substantial compliance with the electoral Act and guidelines.

    The commission however denied the claims of false result sheets during the March 19, 2016 rerun election in Rivers state.

     

  • Rivers re-run election: US, UK condemn violence reaction

    Rivers re-run election: US, UK condemn violence reaction

    United States (US) and United Kingdom have strongly condemned the use of violence and disruption of democratic process.

    Reacting to the violence that greeted the last Saturday Rivers state rerun elections, both countries called upon the leadership of Nigeria’s political parties to urge their supporters to conduct themselves peacefully throughout the electoral process.

    US in a statement issued by its embassy in Abuja, also called on those dissatisfied to pursue a resolution of their grievances peacefully in accordance with the rule of law.

    The statement reads: The U.S. Embassy is concerned about reports of violence, including the possible targeting of electoral officials and irregularities during re-run elections in Rivers State on March 19, 2016.

    “We condemn the use of violence and disruptions of the democratic process.

    “We call upon the leadership of Nigeria’s political parties to urge their supporters to conduct themselves peacefully throughout the electoral process.

    “We call on those dissatisfied to pursue a resolution of their grievances peacefully in accordance with the rule of law.”

    Also, UK in a statement issued by its High Commission in Nigeria expressed its disappointment with the reports of violence, in particular against electoral officials (INEC), around the elections in Rivers state on 19 March 2016.

    “UK observers in Rivers state saw irregularities around the voting and noted the low turn-out of voters at polling units which was in part a consequence of fear of violence,” the statement reads.

    The British High Commission also urges the leadership of both major political parties to encourage their supporters in Rivers to behave peacefully and call on those still dissatisfied to pursue resolution of their grievances through the courts in accordance with the rule of law.

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was forced to suspend all further actions concerning the court ordered re-run elections in the Rivers State National Assembly and State House of Assembly seats held on Saturday, 19th March 2016.

    The Commission said the action was necessitated due to widespread reports of attacks leading to fatalities, kidnappings, ballot box snatching, diversion of officials and materials amongst others.
    In a statement signed by the Commission’s Director of Voter Education and Publicity Department, Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi, last Sunday, it was impossible for the Commission to collate the election results under the difficult circumstances.

    “Having reviewed the situation, the Commission is compelled to suspend all further action concerning the exercise in all 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 Returning Officers,” the Commission said.

    Affirming the reasons for the suspension, the statement read: “some of the lections 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”.

    It further stated that: “of more serious concern was the level of threats 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”.

  • Rivers re-run: NYSC mourns dead corps member

    Rivers re-run: NYSC mourns dead corps member

    The Management of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC has sympathised with the family of a Corps member, Okonta Dumebi Samuel (RV/15B/5539) who died in the re-run elections held in Rivers State on Saturday.

    Corps member Okonta Samuel, who until his demise served at GCSS Ukpeliede, was shot dead by some unknown gunmen in Ahoada West Local Government Area.

    The NYSC in a statement issued in Abuja yesterday by the Director Public Relations, Abosede Aderibigbe said the murder of the patriotic young man, who was an orphan, is
    primitive, barbaric, and ungodly; and should be strongly condemned by all well-meaning Nigerians.

    The statement said the NYSC will work with relevant agencies to ensure that theperpetrators of this heinous act are fished out and made to face the full wrath of the law.

    “We consider Okonta Samuel’s death as a great loss, not only to his immediate family, but also to all of us in the NYSC family and the entire nation”

    “May the Almighty God grant him eternal rest, and give his immediate family and the rest of us the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss,” the statement said.

    The statement added that the other two Corps members that were with the deceased at the time of the incident escaped from the scene through the help of security agents.

    “We also wish to inform that another Corps member Anana Aniekan Udoetor (RV/15B/5537), who was earlier reported missing, has been found and is hale and hearty,” the statement said.

  • Rivers rerun: Court restrains Military from deploying soldiers

    Rivers rerun: Court restrains Military from deploying soldiers

    A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt on Wednesday restrained the Chief of Defence Staff, the Brigade Commander of Amphibious Brigade and the Chief of Army Staff, from deploying military  operatives  for the re-run elections.

    In a ruling delivered  by Justice George Omereji in a suit filed by the PDP Chairman, Bro Felix Obuah and the PDP, the Court ordered: “That an order of interim order be made and is hereby made restraining , Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff, Brigade Commander, 2nd Amphibious Brigade, whether by themselves, their agents, servants, officers and operatives or privies from interfering with the applicants right to freely participate in the  government of Nigeria either directly or through free chosen representatives, threatens to arrest, harass, intimidate, torture , incancerate the applicants and their  members  during  the rerun elections for the State and National Assembly  on  19th March,  2016”.

    The Court based its judgment on the judgment by the Appeal Court in the case between the APC versus and others in 2015 detailing the non involvement of the Army and the Armed Forces in elections.

    Justice Omereji ordered that the PDP has the responsibility to serve the judgment on the Military for them to comply.

    “That Leave be and is hereby granted the applicants to issue and serve the originating motion of the jurisdiction of this Honorable court for service on the Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff and the Brigade Commander of Second Amphibious Brigade and INEC at the Federal Capital Territory, FCT,” Justice Omereji said.

     

  • Rivers re-run: APC, PDP clash at peace meeting

    Rivers re-run: APC, PDP clash at peace meeting

    The Rivers state chapter of  All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Thursday clashed at a peace parley with service chiefs, Political parties and their candidates in the forth- coming National and State Assemblies rerun elections in the state.

    The meeting was organized by members of Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security and political parties and their candidates in the March 19, rerun polls.

    In his opening remarks, the chairman of the meeting and Commissioner of Police (CP), in the state, Musa Kimo said, the meeting was meant to assure political parties and their candidates of the Agencies readiness to assist the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in the state to conduct free and fair, violent-free exercise and to also appeal to parties and candidates to advise their members and supporters on the need to conduct themselves peacefully during the elections, adding that they (security operatives), will not fail to deal with according to the Law,   anybody caught violating the law and the electoral Act, irrespective of who.

    Kimo’s speech was welcomed by all the participants. However remarks by the state Chairman of APC, Chief Davis Ibianmu Ikanya, which suggested that the killings in Omoku, the home town of the state chairman of the PDP, Brother Felix Obuah was masterminded by members of the ruling PDP turned the hitherto peaceful session into a theatre of commotion, as PDP members in the meeting reacted angrily as they insisted the APC retracts the statement before the meeting could move on.

    More than 20 persons, including women and children have reportedly been killed in a fight which started in the area last Saturday. The PDP and APC have traded blames and counter blames on the matter. While the APC claims that the fight was politically motivated against it members and supporters ahead of the upcoming rerun, the PDP maintained that it was rival cult war, and that the APC is making false claim.

    The APC sate Boss said 24 of his members and supporters have been killed in the mayhem and called on the police for proper investigation and possible arrest and detention of the culprits before the election dates.

    He recalled that 95 APC members were killed across the state during the last general elections, and now over 24 of his members have been killed in Omoku alone, alleging that PDP members should be held responsible for the killings.

    Reacting to the APC, Obuah called on the Police to invite Ikanya for questioning on the killings in Omoku, alleging that his statements suggests concluded plans to cause breakdown of Law and Order in the state.

    “The APC chairman must be questioned for all the allegations he has made, by his statement, it is obvious that the APC has concluded plans to cause breakdown of law and order in the state.”

    In his statement earlier, Kimo said, “…all the security agencies in the state have promised to be impartial in discharging our functions before, during and after the re-run elections.”

    Also, INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Aniede Ikoiwak, reiterated the use of Card Reader machine in the election, assuring that “a level playing ground” would be provided for all the candidates.