The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as presently constituted is filled with wonders and obviously a very confused body if the story of a lack of coordination between its Headquarters and the Rivers State Office proves to be true.
The candidates for the rerun elections in Rivers State especially those involved in the elections in Degema LGA are in custody of the certified true copies of the results of over 100 out of 130 Polling Units (EC 8As) in theLGA where elections successfully held and results announced.
However the story making the rounds has it that INEC Abuja is at the verge of discarding the genuine advise of the Resident Electoral Commissioner and his team from the Rivers State INEC Office which is requesting that all the available Polling Unit results be entered into the appropriate Ward Collation Sheets (EC 8Bs) as the original forms supplied on Election Day were purportedly snatched.
It is rather curious to note that INEC has rewarded the erring and compromised Ward Collation Officers who disappeared at the time of collation but had the temerity to deceive the Commission that forms EC 8Bs were snatched which is NOT true. They were paid their entitlements in full when in fact they are the real culprits. Here is a case were the electoral umpire is rewarding criminality (by paying the Ward Collation Officer) when they ought to have been arrested for the inglorious role they played while in the discharge of their legitimate duties.
We very boldly refer you to the documents below containing the details of the submissions of INEC Rivers State on the position of things in Degema LGA showing information on the number of Polling Units where elections held and results sheets available and kept in the custody of the Electoral Commission while the certified true copies are in the custody of the candidates. INEC seem determined to PUNISH the peace-loving people of Degema LGA by planning by conducting yet another election without any concern for the loss of man-hour, voter fatigue/suppression and the huge financial expenses involved in the exercise especially in a time of financial difficulty.
While it may seem fine for INEC to conduct the same elections a zillion times especially so because of its ‘deep pockets,’ one wonders if Nigeria still have men and women who can live above board in the discharge of sensitive duties? Or is it time for us to consider contracting out the services of INEC and all such vital institutions to foreigners (British, American, Ghanian and even ZambianProfessors) who may be more mindful of their name and how posterity will remember them? What is sincerely wrong with NIGERIANS? Why are we so petty, basic and backward despite our high profiles and high-sounding titles? Where are our former Presidents; where is our Nobel laureate; where is NANS; oh NIGERIA!
