Rivers Rerun: No Election In The State Until Peace Returns – INEC
-INEC, you suspended the release of results in areas where elections were held till after your meeting with officials and stakeholders. Please, do not alter or tamper with the results, because we all duplicates of the results issued on the day of election by your staff. Rivers people are smart and intelligent enough to be taken for granted. INEC, please respect Rivers people, do what is right by releasing the correct results for peace to reign in Rivers State. This is my prayer – Citizen
Elections are not war , but only a means to elect few persons into political offices for a certain period of time. What’s happening at Rivers state re-run election in March 2016 looks like war , with deaths ,electoral malpractices, shootings and since video evidence of the events are documented , the law will decide who is wrong or right and hand out penalties or rewards respectively.
Military plotting to declare state of emergency — Wike
Wike is turning Rivers to another Somalia — APC
Hold INEC, security agencies responsible —PDP
Please Kindly Read Updates From Nigerians (Rivers Rerun: No Election In The State Until Peace Returns – INEC) Before the News. Thanks.
-Poor INEC. Made in Aboki Empire fraudsters. If you cannot conduct a common rerun election in Rivers State…. What is the assurance that you will be capable to conduct up coming general elections? INEC is a disgrace to democracy
-No political office in Nigeria is more important to the lives of Nigerians during any election, so enough of these killings , wounding by fire arms , kidnapping and electoral malpractices in the name of “MY PARTY MUST WIN” happening again at Rivers state on the re-run election. Nigerians , there should always be a free , fair , credible and no violence elections everywhere as to up hold democracy.
-”The PDP had governed Rivers uninterrupted between 1999 to 2013…..The strength of party is in its numbers and this made it possible for the party to reach every constituent in the state to canvas for votes”. At this point, I must say that the real reality of the elections goes beyond what has been articulated in the article above. Politics of today has so much to do with religious, regional and cultural influences which defines homogeneity which encompasses diversity in the region and above political party identity of an individual in the region. It is obvious that the today’s political affairs in the country Nigeria is, especially religious characterized and seems more like drawn what looks like a battle line, and the different groups have their political party identity attached to their socio cultural affiliation which must not be abused nor negated respectively. Consequently, this new line of political identity is what has played a major role in the Rivers state rerun elections.
-Any attempt to use Federal might to manipulate already collated results will be counter-productive—Governor Wike
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has declared that any attempt to use the Federal might to manipulate already collated and declared results in a the rerun elections will be counter-productive as it will be resisted.
He called on Nigerians to advise INEC to release all the results of constituencies where collation and declaration have been concluded.
Speaking at the Government House, Port Harcourt when he granted audience to the Rivers State Federated Correspondents Chapel of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ, Governor Wike said that the Federal might was deployed because the APC wanted to rig the rerun elections in order to impeach him.
He said: “Results in all the LGAS where elections were concluded are already in the public domain. You want to use the Federal might to manipulate already collated results, that is where the crisis will come.
“I call on INEC to immediately release all results of constituencies already collated and declared. ”
The governor added: “Part of the reason why they came with severe force was to rig to impeach me. The impeachment plot has failed ”
He stated that whenever the next set of elections will be held, the people of Rivers State will still resist any form of electoral malpractices.
“Whenever you reschedule the remaining rerun elections, the people will still resist rigging”, he said .
The governor said that INEC was alerted about the pre-election challenges, but the commission choice to ignore all patriotic communications.
He reiterate: “INEC has no power to cancel already collated and declared results. Because they know that a particular party has lost the elections, they want to manipulate the process “.
On security, Governor Wike explained that the deliberate regular destabilisation of the security agencies was responsible for the security challenges being experienced.
He said that before a security head gets acquainted with the dynamics of the state security architecture , he will be transferred because of the feeling that he is getting too close to the state Governor.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Rivers State Federated Correspondents Chapel, Mr Ernest Chinwo congratulated Governor Wike over his Supreme Court victory.
He commended the governor for his development strides that have helped in improving the economy of the state.
Simeon Nwakaudu,
Special Assistant to the Rivers State Governor, Electronic Media.
22nd March, 2016.
Now Read The News Below.
LET THE BLAME GAIN CONTINUE: SEE WHAT THE ACTIONS OF A FEW MISGUIDED POLITICIANS HAS COST THE STATE?
*Military plotting to declare state of emergency — Wike *Wike is turning Rivers to another Somalia — APC *Hold INEC, security agencies responsible —PDP By Jimitota Onoyume, Kingsley Omonobi, Henry Umoru, Ben Agande & Omeiza Ajayi PORT HARCOURT— THE Independent National Electoral Commssion, INEC, has said that it will not return to Rivers until the state is conducive to conduct elections. The INEC spoke as the heavy shootings that characterised weekend’s federal and some state legislative re-run elections in Rivers, yesterday, petered out and became a verbal warfare among stakeholders in the polls as the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and All Progressives Congress, APC, traded blames over the issue. We won’t return to Rivers until there is peace – INEC Mr Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi, INEC’s Director of Voter Education and Publicity, revealed that INEC had scheduled a meeting for tomorrow to review the situation in Rivers, adding: “I don’t want to pre-empt anything ahead of the Wednesday meeting.” VOTERS WAITING TO CAST THEIR VOTE AT UNIT 6 WARD 5 .DURING THE NATIONAL AND STATE ASSEMBLIES RERUN ELECTION AT UNIT 5 WARD12 AT PORT HARCOURT CITY GOVERNMENT AREA IN RIVERS STATE TODAY19/03/16 Citing widespread irregularities, the commission annulled the election in eight local government areas and also suspended collation of results after declaring few results. In an interview in Abuja with The Cable, yesterday, Osaze-Uzzi also said the commission would investigate the allegations levelled against it during the election. He said the decision on when the remaining results of the election would announced would be taken at the meeting. Military plotting to declare state of emergency — Wike Apart from attacking the APC, Governor Nyesom Wike accused the military of orchestrating violence in the elections as part of a plot to declare a state of emergency in the state. The governor, who said no official of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has power to cancel results already declared by the electoral umpire, stated that the government had video evidence of the ignoble role of soldiers during the elections. Wike, in a statement by his media aide, Mr Simeon Nwakaudu, said: “We have videos of the atrocities committed by the military across Rivers State. We shall release them at the appropriate time. There is an attempt to cause violence to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State.” He said the APC was not prepared for the elections, noting that it concentrated on propaganda instead of relating with the people for the elections. This came as the Rivers APC called for the arrest of Wike over the alleged assassination attempt on Dr Dakuku Peterside and others and cancellations of the polls. just as the Rivers PDP attributed the cancellation of the election in parts of the state to use of fake electoral materials. Hold INEC, security agencies responsible – PDP The national leadership of the PDP said the INEC and security agencies should be held responsible, if there is a break down of law and order in Rivers State as a result of the failure of the commission to declare the results of last Saturday’s election. In a statement, yesterday, National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, said the conduct of polls fell short of the standard expected in view of the preparations put into it. The position of the party came on the heels of a warning by the National Vice Chairman, South of the party, Dr Cairo Ojuogboh, that attempt by the APC to manipulate the outcome of elections would have dire consequences on the country. Metuh noted that it was disappointing that since Prof. Mahmood Yakubu’s appointment as chairman of the INEC, he had not been able to conduct any conclusive election in few constituencies and states so far and wondered what would be the case when the entire country is involved. He said: “Also grossly unacceptable is the shoddy work by security operatives leading to escalation of violence, avoidable deaths and eventual cancellation of election results in eight local government areas of the state.” On his part, Ojuogboh called on the APC-led Federal Government to allow Wike run the state government, saying after four years, he will be accountable to the people of Rivers State. He said: “The entire idea of trying to take over the Rivers State House of Assembly by force by rigging the elections so that the lawmakers can oppose Wike in governance is a badly thoughout idea. So we employ the Federal Government and the APC to advise the APC Rivers state to thread cautiously, because peace has no alternative. If you do not prepare for peace, what you prepare for is war.” Also, the Rivers PDP said it was unfortunate and shameful that despite all efforts and assurances from security agencies and all stakeholders prior to the polls, some APC desperate and agitated political office seekers still went on to connive with certain electoral officers and military personnel to smuggle in fake election materials with a view to rigging the election, leading to the cancellation of election in some parts of the state by the INEC. In a statement by Jerry Needam, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to Rivers State PDP Chairman, Felix Obuah, the party blamed the precarious situation on the Minister for Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, whom he said had threatened to use any means possible to stop the ruling PDP government in the state from winning the election. Wike turning Rivers to another Somalia – APC Countering, the Rivers APC expressed outrage over the assassination attempt on the Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside, the State APC Chairman, Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, and the deputy governorship candidate of the party in the April 2015 elections, Asita O. Asita. Describing as “outrageous, an affront and condemnable,” the “brazen attempt to snuff out the lives of three key leaders of Rivers APC,“ the party in a statement held Governor Wike responsible for the assassination attempt. It called on relevant security agencies to quickly arrest and interrogate him and to hasten to bring the full weight of the law on all those involved in the dastardly act. The party, in the statement by Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, SSA Media and Public Affairs to the state Chairman, APC Rivers State, said: “We have often cried out about Wike’s bloodthirstiness but, unfortunately, nothing was done to keep him in check. “Before last weekend’s state and National Assembly rerun elections in the state, we had openly cried out following Wike’s open threats on the lives of President Muhammadu Buhari, Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, and Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi. Those who thought we were shouting wolf where one does not exist now know better.” The Rivers APC lamented that Wike, in only 10 months in office, is fast turning Rivers State into another Somalia. The party said: “He is attempting to dwarf other evil and satanic regimes such as those of Mobutu Sese Seko, Emperor Jean Bedel Bokassa and Idi Amin Dada known for displaying optimum barbarism. Wike now hunts his opponents like a game, with many beheaded, clubbed to death or buried alive like chicken.” Rivers APC call for cancellation of polls This came as the Rivers APC called for outright cancellation of the rerun election in the 23 local government areas of the state, saying it was characterised by violence. State chairman of the party, Dr Davies Ikanya, who spoke, yesterday, evening at the state secretariat of the party in Port Harcourt alleged that the Police connived with the PDP to manipulate the exercise. Wike is wrong, we‘re out to ensure peace, order —Defence hqtrs The Defence Headquarters, yesterday, debunked allegations by Wike that the military orchestrated and supervised the violence that characterized the polls. Acting Director of Defence Information, Brig-General Rabe Abubakar, told Vanguard last night: “Our (military’s) presence in Niger Delta is not exclusively for election but to ensure peace and order in the region and to ensure protection of lives and property of Nigerians. “We also have oversight functions of protecting pipelines and ensuring that illegal economic sabotage activities do not take place. Kidnapping, piracy are also challenges we are there to checkmate. So nobody can say we are tied down to any particular individual or certain group because of any election or interest. Regarding the accusation of Governor Wike, Abubakar said: “We are not joining issues with any personality. We are extremely professional; we are trained to maintain peace and orderliness. We will never join issues with any Nigerian. We are for everybody. We will checkmate anybody or group that wants to perpetrate crime or violence because that is why we are there. We belong to all Nigerians and cannot belong to a selective few.” NYSC loses corps member Meantime, the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, has announced the death of a corps member, Okonta Samuel, with call-up number RV/15B/5539, during the re-run elections. Mr. Samuel, who served at GCSS Ukpeliede, was shot dead by unknown gunmen in Ahoada West Local Government Area. Vowing to assist in ensuring that the killers are fished out and brought to book, the NYSC prayed for the repose of his soul and for the family to have the fortitude to bear the loss. NYSC also said two other corps members that were with the deceased at the time of the incident were rescued by security agents.
Enjoy This Last Update:
#RiversRerun: Probe election violence, military role, PDP tells Buhari
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THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has advised President Muhammadu Buhari to set up a panel to probe the circumstances leading to the violence during last weekend’s conduct of the Rivers State rerun elections.
Addressing press conference at the national secretariat of the party in Abuja on Tuesday, the National Chairman of the party, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, also said the involvement of the military in the violence, which led to the death of several people, should also be investigated.
Sheriff expressed great concern at the turn of events at the rerun of state and National Assembly elections and condemned the accompanying violence.
He observed that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has no right to suspend already collated result results, saying that the electoral body pandered to the wishes of a highly placed Rivers APC chieftain to take the action.
He said: “Whilst we join well meaning Nigerians to condemn the cases of violence, which reportedly characterised the process in some areas, we enjoin the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to immediately constitute a panel to carry out a dispassionate investigation of the circumstances with a view to unraveling the truth and bringing the culprits to book
“The PDP also condemns the reported roles played by some officers and members of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria who are said to have in some cases acted beyond their expected role of maintenance of law and order and taken over the responsibility of INEC in the actual conduct of the re-run election.
“The fact that the Armed Forces acted as they did in flagrant disobedience of an order of court to the contrary is a matter that requires urgent investigation and appropriate sanction.
“Our long-held view, proven over the years by our attitude of accepting declared results of elections, is that the mandate of the Nigerian people is sacred and anybody or party, which seeks to govern Nigeria or any part of it must solicit and obtain this mandate freely given in an openly contested election where democratic norms and ethos are rigidly observed.”
On the suspended collation of results from the election, the party boss stated: “The PDP is also appalled that the Independent National Electoral Commission, after results had been collated and declared on the ground in many Wards and Constituencies, yielded to the pressure and instruction of a highly placed politician in Rivers State to suspend the much-awaited declaration of final results and return of the winners, who are already well known to the electorate.
“We stress that the Electoral Act 2010 (as Amended) and applicable regulations do not support the suspension of the declaration of results after collation has been completed.
“We therefore demand for the declaration of all results already collated and the return of the winners of the elections.”
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