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
Admin l Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019
ABUJA, Nigeria – The Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) has postponed elections in some part of Lagos, Rivers, Anambra State and other areas.
INEC took the decision following widespread disenfranchisment of the electorates by security men, and thugs in Lagos and other areas. There was wide spread irregularity and voter intimidation in Abuja, Ogun, Lagos, Rivers, Bayelsa and other states.
In Lagos thugs loyal to the All Progressive Congress(APC) invaded several wards in Ajeromi-Ifelodun, carted away ballot boxes and sensitive INEC materials and smatched several ballot boxes. In Okota, thugs loyal to the APC, invaded polling units and chased away Igbos insisting that they must vote for the APC. In some wards, the thugs acting in connivance with security agents burnt down ballot boxes loaded with ballot papers, one of them was however torched by angry electorates.
In Abonema, Rivers State, security agents and thugs loyal to the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi and security agencies scared voters, and killed some with sporadic gun shots. In Bayelsa, a photographer attached to the Bayelsa State Government House, Reginald Dei and a Ward Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Seidougha were killed.
According to the statement, both men were killed by men of the military in Oweikorogha, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state. In Kogi state, Daniel Usman, (19) was shot when he went to perform his civic duty.
Speaking at press conference in Abuja, INEC chairman, Professor, Mahmood Yakubu said said elections in Akuku Toru and Bonny local government areas of Rivers state as well as some parts of Anambra and Lagos would be conducted on a later date, saying mostly affected is the contest for the federal legislative seats.
“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 RECs 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.
“It is not only in Rivers that we had reports of burning of electoral materials. We have such reports from Anambra and Lagos states as well as some other places”, he added.
