Senators of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Thursday asked President Muhammadu Buhari to probe the violence that marred the rerun National and State Assembly elections in River State.
The opposition lawmakers also asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to release the collated outstanding results in the exercise.
This was contained in a communiqué issued after the meeting of the Senate PDP caucus in Abuja.
Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio, who read the communiqué to journalists, stated that the meeting also noted the efforts of the National Chairman of the PDP, Ali Modu Sheriff, in rebuilding the party and passed a vote of confidence on him.
The communiqué which was signed by Akpabio called on lNEC to “Release the outstanding results in the Rivers state re-run elections particularly results that were collated from all polling units/wards/Local Government Areas in their possession with immediate effect.”
It also stated that “The Caucus reviewed the decision of INEC of our Party, PDP, and agreed that the timetable of the Party Congresses and National Convention remain sacrosanct. This was reiterated by the National Chairman of the Party, Ali Modu Sheriff who attended the Caucus and briefed members accordingly.
“Accordingly, the Caucus agreed to send a delegation to visit Rivers State with a view to congratulating the Governor, Nyesom Wike on the electoral victories, and also to commiserate with the wounded and families of people who lost their loved ones in the rerun elections in Rivers state particularly the youth corps member who was slain in the imbroglio”.
The Caucus also called on lNEC to as a matter of urgency reschedule the lmo North rerun Senatorial election without further delay, pointing out that the 90 days ordered by the court had since lapsed.
It also called on the Commission to reschedule similar rerun elections in Anambra Central and Kogi East Senatorial districts.
The Caucus, according to the communiqué, called on President Muhammadu Buhari to support the ongoing commission of enquiry investigating the killings in the Rivers rerun elections with a view to bringing the perpetrators of the violence to book.
It urged the political class to exhibit tolerance for multi-party democracy in the nation to discourage political impunity in all ramifications.
OWEDE AGBAJILEKE
