INEC Distributes Sensitive Materials As Rerun Polls Underway in Rivers

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News From The State Saturday, March 19th, 2016

By IGNATIUS OKPARA, Port Harcourt

The Independent National Electoral Commission INEC, says it is fully set for today’s (saturday) rerun election in Rivers state, as it commenced distribution of election materials to the 23 local government areas in State on friday after receiving the sensitive materials from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Our Correspondent reports that Political party agents, who were on ground to monitor the process and the onward distribution of the materials, expressed satisfaction with the Nigeria’s electoral body for the peaceful process.

Speaking shortly after inspecting the materials before the distribution,the state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Elder Aneide Ikoiwak, said with the arrival and distribution of sensitive materials to the various local government areas, INEC was now set to conduct peaceful rerun elections in Rivers State.

Ikoiwak, had earlier advised political parties to send in one agent to monitor and observe the distribution process, and warned that nobody has the right to keep any material to himself.

The REC also warned that any ad-hoc staff who refuses to do what he or she is supposed to do would be punished accordingly.

He disclosed that the elections would take place between 8.00am and 2.00pm, stressing that the commission did not doctor any ad-hoc staff list as was being speculated in some quarters.

His words: “other political parties are not complaining because the electoral body decided to follow due process.

“This is the first time in Rivers State that INEC has decided to follow strictly the due process, and we shall not deviate from it.

“We have not taken any list from any political party or person’’, the REC maintained.

The rerun elections in the state will hold in 37 constituencies, involving the three senatorial districts, 12 federal constituencies and 22 state constituencies.

There are two key political parties contesting the legislative polls, and they includes, the Peoples ruling Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC).