Forget Amaechi, election held in Rivers – REC

Rivers_State

The Resident Electoral Commissioner of Rivers state, Dame Gesilia Khan, tonight said elections held in the 23 local government areas of the state despite protests and refusal of some eligible voters to exercise their franchise.

“The Presidential, senatorial and House of Representatives elections held In the 23 Local government areas in the Rivers state on March 28, 2015,” she said.

Although Governor Rotimi Amaechi had refused to be accredited because electoral officers at his Ubima ward polling unit could not present the result sheets, the Rivers State REC said he was wrong to have asked for the election results.

“At the stage the governor of Rivers state Rt Hon Chibuike Amaechi complained of not sighting the election result sheet, voting has not commenced, that was merely accreditation stage which has noting to do with result sheets. Please note that the governor of Rivers state went to the poll as a voter and not as a governor,” Khan said.

“INEC wishes to inform the general public that the law does not permit everyone to be shown the result sheet, hence all political parties are expected to have their party agents at the distribution centres to ensure that the materials, both sensitive and non sensitive, are all complete before election officials proceed to the field.

“Also the agent at the polling units are expected to ensure that materials are complete before election commences. Where there is a shortfall the party agent will have it in their report and submit complaint to INEC.

“It is on record that APC accredited political party agent who was present at the INEC office Ikwerre local government area office, Steve Worgu signed that the materials both sensitive and non sensitive distributed at the local government area were complete, including result sheet before the officials proceeded to the field,” she said.