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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says 56 political
parties out of the 91 registered parties in the country are set to
participate in the 2019 general elections.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in charge of Rivers, Mr Obo
Effanga, said this during a media briefing on Friday in Port Harcourt.
He said that INEC was interested in all the 91 registered political
parties, adding that the commission would only deal with political parties
that registered for the election in 2019.
The REC assured Rivers people that the commission was ready to ensure
free, fair and credible elections in 2019, stressing that “we assure you
that on the day of the elections, every material needed for the elections
would be ready to ensure free, fair and credible process.”
Effanga noted that the Card Readers would be used for the 2019 general
elections.
He pointed out that any voter who was not accredited by the Card Reader
would not cast his or her vote.
He explained that provisions would be made if the Card Reader developed
any hitch in the process.
He, therefore, called on community leaders to advise their youths against
disrupting the elections, emphasising that any community that could not
advise its youths to be of good conduct, INEC would not conduct elections
there.
The REC urged stakeholders to play their part properly, saying that
security agencies, the political class, among others, should ensure that
the 2019 general elections were successful.
He stressed that any politician who would have objections of any kind
concerning the 2019 general elections should go to court to seek redress.
He called on the electorate to pick up their Permanent Voter Cards at
their areas of registration to enable them to exercise their franchise on
the day of the election. (NAN)