Postpone Rivers Reruns, Politicians Are Not Ready –Group Tells INEC

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Sunday, July 24th, 2016

ABUJA, NIGERIA (AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Following the spate of violence and killings trailing rerun elections in Rivers state, south-south Nigeria, a group named Centre for Public Accountability (CPA) has advised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to again postpone the elections saying politicians are not ready for the elections.

A statement issued in Abuja by Peter Abah, the Director of Media and Strategy of the group decried the killings and destruction of properties that have continued to engulf Rivers state since INEC has been trying to conduct the rerun.

“Recall the violence that followed the March 19, 2016 rerun of elections in Rivers State which claimed the lives many rivers indigenes and the live of a Youth Corps member, Samuel Okonta.

“We are aware that this development led to a meeting organized by INEC at the Ladi Kwali Hall of the Sheraton Hotel, Abuja on the 30^th June, 2016, for stakeholders at various levels culminating in the National Stakeholders Forum on outstanding rerun elections. It was at that venue of the meeting that dates were chosen for the Rivers, Kogi, Kano and Imo reruns.

“At the meeting, it was agreed that INEC should not under any circumstance put the lives of poll staff, observers, electorates and indeed politicians at risk if there is threat to peace. The Commission was urged to exercise its statutory powers and put off any election where lives would be put at risk.” Abah recalled

The group further expressed displeasure that having fully agreed to the nonviolence re-run, Rivers politicians have been engaging in violence conducts in the wake of July 30, 2016 re run elections in the state even as it strongly advised INEC to put off election noting that lives of electoral and adhoc poll staff will be in danger.

“That era can only be found in our history where politicians won elections by any means necessary.” Abah stated.

Only last week, the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in Bori, headquarters of Khana local Government Area and the ancestral headquarters of the Ogoni people was set ablaze by unknown persons.

Our correspondent reports that Khana LGA is key to the rerun election for Rivers East senatorial district. The election is scheduled for Saturday, July 30, 2016.