The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has announced the suspension of all the election in all constituencies in Rivers State held on Saturday, March 19, 2016.
However, INEC clarified that the suspension does not affect constituencies where polls had been completed and the results declared by the returning officers.
The electoral body, in a statement on Sunday night, explained that it paused the election pending the receipt of a comprehensive report from its officials.
In the statement, INEC’s Director in charge of Voter Education and Publicity, Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi, disclosed that “some of these 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.”
Speaking further, he said “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 eight 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,” Osaze-Uzzi added.
So far, no result has been declared officially in the rerun poll for state and National Assembly seats, but results for one Federal Constituency and 11 state Assembly seats have been declared by INEC.
