The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has cancelled
elections in Bonny and Akuku Toru local government areas (LGAs) of Rivers
state following outbreak of violence.
Festus Okoye, INEC’s national commissioner for information and voter
education, announced this at a press briefing in Abuja on Saturday.
Okoye said elections in the area would hold on a date yet to be chosen by
the commission.
“We have received reports related to incidents in Akuku Toru and Bonny
local government areas of Rivers state,” he said.
“So long as the commission could not deploy in these areas, the
implication is that polls did not open in these areas and the commission
will hold consultations with the relevant authorities and with the
resident electoral commissioner in relation to these areas and will
announce the dates when polls will take place in some of these areas,
especially in relation to the areas that may be affected as it relates to
the house of representatives elections and senatorial elections.
“We need to harvest where voting did not take place and we’re going to
take a position as a commission. In Bonny, there was no election at all.
The exercise there has been postponed. It will hold on another day.
In a related incident, Edwin Enabor, INEC spokesperson in Rivers state,
said Okrika LGA was also marred by irregularities, as sensitive materials
for a whole ward was diverted.
He said voting could not hold in the affected area and as such new dates
would be announced for voters to cast their ballot.
“Voting did not hold in the affected registration area,” he said.
“The position of the commission is that election will be conducted
separately for that registration area later.”
Reactions have trailed the violence that broke out in the state with many
on Twitter saying that they are not surprised by the tension the elections
generated.
“The violence in #Rivers is just too much. For an election without the APC
on the ballot,” Odogwu Mobi, a Twitter user wrote.