News
Breaking: INEC Suspends Elections in Rivers
…Cites widespread violence and disruption of the process
BY DAMOLA EMMANUEL
After several hours of suspense, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Sunday, suspended all electoral processes in Rivers State.
In a release issued by Barrister Festus Okoye, a National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee of the commission, the electoral umpire said it came to the conclusion following widespread violence and substantial disruption of the process in a number of polling units and collation centres.
Such disruptions manifested in the abduction of the commission’s staff, confiscation of electoral materials by unauthorised persons, as well as its inability to guarantee the welfare of its staff, materials and equipment.
It, therefore, invoked Section 26 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended), to stop all electoral processes and constitute a fact-finding committee to assess the situation in the troubled state and report back in 48 hours.
The INEC press statement is attached below:
