INEC Shifts Election In Rivers LGAs

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has moved the Governorship and State Assembly elections in Asari-Toru Local Government Area (LGA) and parts of neighboring Degema LGA to Sunday 19 March.

Naija News reports that the electoral commission had failed to conduct the polls in the LGAs due to lapses.

At the Registration Area Center (RAC) in Buguma, Headquarters of Asari-Toru LGA, there was tension when voters could not find the INEC Electoral Officers (EOs) and Result Sheets for the area.

Voters had insisted on identifying the INEC EOs and Result Sheets before materials could leave the RAC to the various wards and polling units but the agitation was later brought under control by security agents on the ground.

Speaking on the issue, Resident Electoral Commissioner, INEC, Rivers State, Dr. Johnson Sinikiem, confirmed elections could not hold in Asari-toru LGA and Ward 14 of Degema LGA.

“Elections could not hold in the mentioned places as a result of the Voters resisting deployment of election officials and materials for Governorship and State House of Assembly election. Voters and other stakeholders demanded seeing the Ward Collation Officers before they would allow election to commence.

“At Ward 14 of Degema LGA, voters equally demanded that the SPO must come to the RAC with collation sheet which is the responsibility of Collation Officers, thereby not allowing election to hold.

“Standing on this premise and relying on section 24 of the Electoral Act 2022, the INEC has decided to conduct the election of Asari-Toru local Government Area and Ward 14 of Degema Local Government Area on the 19 of March, 2023,” Sinikiem said.