A
new report has shown the alarming number of electoral violence cases
which were recorded in Rivers State during the rerun elections.
Illustrative photo
Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, the chairman of the Independent National
Electoral Commission, has said that the commission recorded at least, 70
incidences of obstruction of election electoral processes in December
10, re-run legislative elections in Rivers.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, Yakubu disclosed this
while addressing a world conference at the opening ceremony of a two-day
Capacity Development for INEC Press Corps on Friday in Abuja.
The INEC boss said that the violent incidence included harassment,
abduction and physical assaults of election duty personnel during the
election.
He decried the high level of violence and thuggery witnessed in the
exercise, adding that ”on the eve of the election, thugs disrupted the
delivery of election materials to Registration Area Centres, a situation
that prevented early deployment to the Polling Units on election day.
Yaukubu said, “Indeed, in many instances, we had to deploy directly from the local government areas to PUs, contrary to our plans.
“Amidst heavy shooting by political thugs, vehicles transporting materials and personnel to PUs were hijacked.
“Voter registers, ballot papers, result sheets and Smart Card Readers were brazenly snatched at gun point.”
He said that the commission had documented all the instances of violence adding that
He said, “The INEC shall carefully scrutinise them and take appropriate action under the law and its guidelines and regulations.”
He, however, pledged that INEC would work with security agencies to
uncover and punish people who disrupted the distribution of election
materials and electoral processes in the Rivers rerun elections.
He cited violenc in Okrika and Gokana Local Government and the heavy shooting reported in Biata and Bodo.
He said, “We are confident that the security agencies will
investigate all violations of the nation‘s laws before, during and after
the last re-run elections in Rivers.”
This he said include the alleged unsavory roles played by actors in uniform.
He said, “INEC will work with the security agencies to uncover and punish those who disrupted the distribution of election materials
“To uncover the hijacking of election materials in Andoni,
Oyibo and Ogu-Bolu, the hostage taking in Akoku Toru, the physical
attack and kidnapping of election personnel.”
He said that the hijack resulted in the loss of ballot paper
consignment for Ward 16 in Khana Local Government Area of the state.
He said, “Also the unmasking of the identity of the thugs that
threatened to burn down our personnel inside the vehicles conveying them
to pulling Units (Pus) in Etche.
“The process which resulted in the massive disruption that made
it impossible for elections to be conducted in a substantial part of
the Federal and State Constituencies in the LGA.’”
According to him the INEC is also in contact with the security
agencies to secure the release of its three Collation Officers detained
in a security facility in Port Harcourt for almost a week.
He said that the commission was also aware of reports of
infractions by some of INEC staff, ranging from absence from duty posts
to partisanship in the discharge of their duties.
He said, “We also acknowledge that in Ahoada East and West, a
Supervisory Presiding Officer unsuccessfully tried to abscond with
ballot papers and result sheets.
“We are also investigating the allegation of bribery involving other staff, particularly those deployed to Etche and Ikwerre.
“We wish to assure all Nigerians that the Commission is
instituting an administrative inquiry as part of a comprehensive review
of the Rivers re-run elections.
“Needless to say that any INEC staff found to have disobeyed clear rules and regulations will be appropriately sanctioned.”
The INEC boss, therefore, appealed to perpetrators of violence
during elections to regard politics and competition for office as
monumental responsibilities that called for civility and candor, “not
aggression and blood-letting.’’
Yakubu, however, expressed the commission’s condolences to the
families of all those who lost their lives in the violence in the rerun
elections in Rivers.
He, however,commended Prof. Oji Ekumankama, the Returning Officer
for Rivers East Senatorial District, allegedly assaulted by unknown
persons in uniform and threatened to arrest him.
“Election materials, including result sheets and his personal
belongings were taken away at gun point, yet he stood his ground,
supported by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) for the area who
offered to be arrested along with Ekumankama.
“In the same vein, Ms. Mary Tunkuyo, Mr Agona Isaac, Mr Ademola
Toba, NYSC members that served as electoral officers were physically
assaulted and sustained serious injuries, yet they stood their grounds
and discharged their responsibilities."
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