The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it will conclude and make returns in the constituencies where voting and collation were done in compliance with the Electoral Act in the Rivers re-run elections.
This is contained in statement signed by the INEC Director of Publicity and Voter Education, Mr Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi, on Friday in Abuja.
It stated that the decision was arrived at after the commission’s Wednesday meeting with the Rivers Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) , Supervisor and Monitors of the March 19 election. It noted that the commission had considered the submissions of the officials and undertook an audit of its personnel deployed as polling officials and for related duties in the elections.
It acknowledged that there were some challenges in its operational efficiency, especially as it concerns the production and customisation of result sheets used for the election.
“Specifically, there was omission of the original watermark in the result sheets for a few polling units in three federal constituencies.
“There was also omission of some delineation details in 47 of over 20,000 booklets produced.”
It added that political parties that participated in the election and their agents witnessed the distribution of all the election materials.
“The commission wishes to emphatically state that there were no fake result sheets or any fake materials used in the conduct of the election.”
It restated the commission’s decision to uphold the declarations and return made in the federal constituencies where elections had been concluded.
“Similarly, INEC will conclude and make returns in constituencies where it is satisfied that voting and collation were done in substantial compliance with the Electoral Aact and our guidelines.
“Further details as to the constituencies and nature of the exercise will be announced by the REC in the next few days.”
It added that INEC would at a date to be decided, conduct fresh elections in all local government areas, constituencies and polling units where March 19 elections were disrupted before voting was concluded. This, according to the statement, will start with the accreditation and voting.
“Even so, this will only be after due consideration with stakeholders and subject to the advice of security agencies and guarantees by the political parties, candidates and their supporters.”
It assured that all materials used for the conduct of the elections which were not destroyed by hoodlums were safe and were being kept in secure custody.
