The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has rescheduled elections in some parts of Rivers, Anambra and Lagos states where violence and ballot box snatching were recorded in yesterday’s presidential and national assembly polls.
The commission’s commissioner and chairman of its information and voter education committee, Mr. Festus Okoye, who stated this at the close of voting yesterday, also said where the malfunctioning of smart card readers was not resolved before the closing of elections, voting would continue the next day.
“The commission has received reports of violence and ballot box snatching in some areas leading to the disruption of the process. We have asked the Resident Electoral Commissioners RECs and the Electoral Officials on ground to submit their firsthand reports in relation to some of these incidents.
“We are still receiving reports relating to incidences in some states of the federation but we have received reports relating to incidences in Akuku Toru and Bonny local government areas of Rivers state.
“So long as the commission could not deploy in these areas, the implication is that voting did not take place in those areas and the commission will hold consultations with the relevant authorities and the Resident Electoral Commissioners in relation to these areas and will announce the date when polls will take place in some of these areas, especially in relation to the areas as they affect the House of Representatives and Senatorial elections.
“We received reports of violence and ballot box snatching which took place in Akokotoro and Bonny Local Government Areas of Rivers State; and some parts of Lagos and Anambra states. We are waiting for the report; we have told the Resident Electoral Commissioners in the states to submit their report.
“So, elections in these areas, especially in areas where the House of Representatives and Senate polls did not take place , new date for the election will be decided later after we receive reports from INEC officials on the ground.
“We received reports of violence and ballot box snatching which took place in some parts of Lagos and Anambra states. We have told the Resident Electoral Commissioners in the states to submit reports. So long as the poll is didn’t commence, it is assumed that there was no voting.
“So, elections in these areas, especially in areas related to the House of Representatives and Senate didn’t take place and the date for the election will be decided later after we receive reports from INEC officials on ground,” he said.
In Rivers State, ThisDay reports that an official of the commission, Mrs. Mary Efeturi, said in a message posted on her Whatsapp group that she was held hostage by the minister of transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi.
“According to her desperate message Amaechi wants her to instruct collation officers to collate results in the presidential election that held Saturday which she resisted, leading to her being held hostage by the minister, who has threatened not to release her until she carries out his wishes, which is to write results.
“Her SOS message on the WhatsApp group, which went to her superiors reads: “Sir, I am still held within my office and the Minister of Transportation is insisting that I instruct the collation officers to collate results. He said that I cannot leave the office because he has military personnel on ground,” the paper reported.
Okoye also announced that staff of the commission who ditched the smart card readers because of a malfunction, will be prosecuted.
He said where the card readers do not work up till 6pm on the election day the standard procedure is to shift the exercise to the next day.
He said no staff of the commission has discretionary powers on the use or otherwise of the card readers as its usage is not a subject of negotiation.
“With regards to the challenges associated with Smart Card Readers in some polling units, most of these challenges were resolved and were resolved on time. However, it is to be noted that in the Regulations and the Guidelines issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission, it was made very clear that the use of the smart card readers is mandatory.
“Therefore, no staff of the Commission or any ad hoc staff of the Commission is permitted in whatever guise to deliberately refuse to use the smart card readers for the conduct of elections. According to the Guidelines and Regulations of the Commission, it is negligent conduct for any ad hoc staff to refuse to use the smart card readers for purposes of accreditation and any of them that refused to use the smart card readers or deliberately violated the use of the smart card readers will be subject to prosecution in accordance with the Guidelines and Regulations of the Commission and the Electoral Act”, he added.
