Rivers poll: PDP youths give INEC ultimatum to release results

Some pro-PDP youths today, April 7, staged a peaceful protest at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office along Aba-Port Harcourt, in Rivers state.

The youths demanded the immediate release of the remaining results of Rivers rerun election on March 19.

Speaking to newsmen, Worigbani Ezekiel, the state coordinator of the group, issued a 24 hour ultimatum to INEC to release the remaining results in the March 19 rerun legislative election in the state.

Some pro-PDP youths today, April 7, staged a peaceful protest at the INEC office along Aba-Port Harcourt, in Rivers state.

He demanded that INEC should also fix a date for the conduct of election in the eight local government areas where election had been cancelled on March 19.

They also demand that the Military should not be deployed in the subsequent elections in the state.

Ezekiel said: “On February 19, President Buhari-led federal government of INEC sent military men to invade Rivers killing innocent women and youth of the state leading to the death of a pregnant woman in Tai local government area of the state. And we are here in INEC to ask INEC to retrace their steps so that more deaths would not be recorded in the state. And we are telling INEC to liaise with the federal government not to send troops to Rivers state and we are comfortable with the Nigeria Police Civil Defence Corps and other civil agencies in Nigeria.” 

Responding, an official of INEC Chibiye Godfrey promised to convey their protest to the state Resident Electoral Commission (REC) Aniedi Ikoiwak who will then communicate to Abuja.

INEC had cancelled results in eight local government areas in the Rivers rerun.

They are Bonny, Gokhana, Khana, Andoni, Tai and Eleme, Etche and Asaritoru local government areas.

Aniedi Ikoiwak, the state REC said that the reason for the cancellation was due to irregularities at the affected local government areas of the state.

The electoral umpire further notes violence, snatching of ballot boxes, noncompliance to electoral law as part of the cancellation.