The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should as a matter of fact declare already collated Results of the March 19th National and State House of Assembly Rerun Elections which it conducted in Rivers State.
The Commission had after announcing only 5 State Assembly Results suspended further actions on the results hinging its decision on the security situation in the State.
It shall be recalled that INEC had conducted the Presidential and National Assembly, and the Governorship and State House of Assembly Elections on March 28th and April 11th 2015 respectively in Rivers State with the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) winning all the Three Senatorial Seats,13 House of Representatives and the Governorship as well as 31 of the 32 State House of Assembly seats leaving the opposition All Progressive Congress (APC) with only one seat at the State House of Assembly.
The APC dissatisfied with the outcome of the elections directed its candidates for the various elective positions to approach the Election Petition Tribunals which sat in Abuja in order to seek redress including praying for the cancellation of the March and April 2015 elections in Rivers State.
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Some Elections including the Governorship Elections were nullified by various Panels of the Election Petition Tribunals who heard the numerous petitions brought before them mainly by the APC and its Candidates.
Following the outcomes of the judgments, appeals were filed and the three Senatorial District Elections (which were upheld in favour of PDP at the Tribunal) were nullified. Also nullified were the elections of 12 out of 13 House of Representatives and 22 out of 32 State House of Assembly elections.
INEC was ordered to conduct Rerun elections within 60 to 90 days from December 2015 when the Court of Appeal delivered its Judgement and in Compliance with that Order, INEC scheduled the Rerun for February 5th 2016 which was later rescheduled for March 19th 2016.
The Independent National Electoral Commission conducted the Elections and Results were Collated and Declared at various Units, Wards and Local Government Areas where elections successfully held until the Commission via a letter directed the suspension of further action on the election results an act that implicitly usurps the function of the Election Petition Tribunals!
It is more than 60 days and the Commission has refused to announce already collated results from the March 19th National and State Assembly Rerun in Rivers State! This smacks of IMPUNITY or is it INCOMPETENCE? MAY BE JEGA SHOULD BE REAPPOINTED!!!
Rerun (2nd Ballot) elections are like the “sudden death rule” in a football match, is a plurality the first past the post electoral system.
The “sudden death” rule in football applies after 90min of full time play and if both teams are at par on goals an extra time is granted during which period the first to score automatically wins and the goal marks the end of Match.
INEC declared former Senate President David Mark winner of the Benue South Senatorial Rerun despite the protest by his opponent about outstanding votes/elections that were more than the margin of win.
Also, Senator Mao Ohuabunwa of Abia State was also declared winner of Abia North Senatorial Rerun when the difference in votes was only about 500 and outstanding votes/elections being far more than 500 votes not withstanding the protest of his closest rival Chief Orji Uzor Kalu.
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The Independent National Electoral Commission ought to be do the same in the Rivers case and not allow itself to exhibit double standard especially so as it is supposed to be INDEPENDENT and should be seen as such.
A rerun has a different criteria from the main election which makes provision for a runoff or repeated ballot and an unending and wasteful expenditure of public funds.
INEC should be properly guided to do the right thing and should help conserve the resources of our dear country though a good sense of responsibility and high level of integrity.
NIGERIA IS BROKE; NO MORE SCHEMES FOR EXTORTION AND UNDER-HAND DEALINGS.
INEC please do not create a CONSTITUTIONAL CRISES. What becomes of those whose names were omitted or those who just turned 18 before the election date.
