INEC to Conduct Fresh Election in 7 RAs in Rivers

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that it will conduct a fresh election in seven Registered Areas (RAs) in Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State.

The INEC Residential Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Rivers, Johnson Sinikiem announced this Sunday, while briefing journalists on the proceedings in collation of the results for Presidential, Senatorial and House of Representative elections in the state.

Also, present at the briefing were the political parties agents, security agencies, international and local observers, civil society organisation and members of staff of INEC Rivers State, who were involved in the process of the election.

Sinikiem also expressed satisfaction on the election across the state. He explained that out of the 17 RAs in Degema, election only held in 10 following some challenges faced by the INEC staff who could not access the area on the election day.

He however, urged Rivers people and various stakeholders to be patience with the Commission, assuring that every vote must be counted.

“This briefing is necessary at this time, that the electorates are very expectant of the outcome of their wishes, which is very sacrosanct and the Commission has a duty of protecting the wishes of the masses in the election of February 25, 2023, the Presidential, Senatorial and House of Representative.

“Results were collated primarily from a polling unit via Form EC8A, EC8A (1), EC8A (2) for the Presidential, Senatorial and House of Representative elections respectively.

“The election went in smoothly in all the LGAs, though the Presiding Officers had a hitching problems of uploading results from polling units to the INEC Result Quarters (IRQ). This is as a result of poor network which is a national problem or issues in all the places that elections did not hold yesterday due to one reason or the other, part from violence that will not affect the outcome of the elections.

“We have a situation in Degema Local Government, about seven RAs, we could not deployed and that we are also covered by Section 24 (2) of the Electoral Act. So we are looking at how to configure new Bi-VAS to schedule possibly tomorrow, to conclude that RAs in Degema.

I have received clearance from the headquarters to go ahead and organize election there within the shortest reasonable time. 

Degema has 17 RAs and Election took place in only 10 RAs. You know if we don’t conclude is going to substantially affect the outcome of the election. That is paramount. But for others, if it will not substantially affect the outcome, election might not take place in those places”, Sinikiem added.