The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared that it would not return to conclude the Rivers State rerun elections until it is sure of a conducive atmosphere for the exercise.
The Commission threatened that it would not expose voters, its officials, observers and media personnel to danger unless there was guarantee of safety.
It, however, stated that it would conduct fresh elections in areas where voting was disrupted in the violence-marred Rivers States polls of March 19.
INEC also said it would uphold the declarations and returns made in the federal and state constituencies where the exercise had been concluded.
While the commission said it has undertaken an audit of its personnel deployed as polling officers and for related duties, it acknowledged that there were challenges in its operational efficiency, “especially as it concerns the production and customization of the result sheets used for the conduct of the elections.”
INEC’s position on the Rivers State rerun election was contained in a statement at the weekend by the Director, Voter Education and Publicity, Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi.
Following its suspension of the rerun elections, the electoral commission had held meeting on Wednesday with the Resident Electoral Commissioners (REC) for the state as well as supervisors and monitors.
The statement read in part: “While the commission is committed to conducting free, fair and credible elections, it hereby reiterates its resolve not to return to Rivers State (or anywhere else where there was breakdown of law and order in the cause of conducting elections) until there is a conducive atmosphere for the conduct of credible elections.
“As a responsible organisation, it will not expose its stakeholders especially voters, its officials, observers, media personnel to any danger and even where dates have been fixed and published, it will not hesitate to again suspend the exercise where there is a clear danger or credible threat of a breakdown of law and order.”
INEC reassured that all materials used for the conduct of the elections which were not destroyed by hoodlums are in safe custody.
OWEDE AGBAJILEKE
