The Independent National Electoral Commission has urged security agencies to investigate the role of uniformed personnel in the violence that rocked the December 10, 2016 rerun in Rivers State.
Governments of the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany and the European Union, also called on the Federal Government to launch a full investigation into killings and alleged electoral malpractices witnessed during the rerun.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, said the rerun was characterised by a high level of violence with more than 70 incidents of deliberate obstruction of the electoral process.
The INEC boss made the comment while speaking during a press conference shortly before declaring open a capacity development workshop for INEC Press Corp with the theme ‘Repositioning the media for effective coverage of electoral processes’ in Abuja on Friday.
He said INEC would collaborate with security agencies to track down those who perpetrated acts of violence and disrupted the electoral process as reported in Okrika and Gokana, Biata, Boro, Andoni, Oyibo and Ogu Bolu in the state.
He said the commission had documented all instances of violence to ensure that appropriate measures were taken in accordance with the laws of the land.
He said, “Once again, the overwhelming blight on the December 10, 2016 elections is the level of violence and thuggery. There were no less than 70 incidents of deliberate obstruction of the electoral process.
“The commission has documented all these instances of violence and wishes to assure Nigerians that we shall carefully scrutinise them and take appropriate actions under the law as well as our guidelines and regulations.
“We are confident that the security agencies will investigate all violations of the nation’s laws before, during and after the last rerun in Rivers State including the alleged unsavoury roles played by actors in uniform.”
Yakubu stressed that the commission had taken a decision to institute an administrative panel to probe the activities of personnel of the commission in the election.
According to him, the commission would investigate the personnel of the commission for alleged absence from their duty posts and partisanship in the discharge of their responsibilities, and that anyone found to have disobeyed clear rules and regulations would be sanctioned appropriately.
The INEC Chairman said the commission had also commenced investigation into allegations of bribery against personnel deployed in Etche and Ikwerre Local Government areas.
He noted that while a good number of electoral officers dutifully carried out their responsibilities in spite of the odds, the commission had information that a supervisory presiding officer attempted to abscond with electoral materials in Ahoada West.
Yakubu stated also that the commission was considering online registration of voters in the country.
He explained that the commission had plans to make it possible for intending voters to register in the future with their names while the commission would keep record of vital information such as date of birth.
Meanwhile, in a joint statement issued on Friday and signed by the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Stuart Symington; British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Paul Arkwright; French Ambassador to Nigeria, Denys Guaer; EU Head of Delegation to Nigeria, Michel Arrion; and German Ambassador to Nigeria, Bernhard Schlagheck, the foreign governments expressed sadness over the killings during the poll.
They said in the statement, “We are saddened by the deaths reported of civilians and police officers who were present in the state. We call for a transparent and full investigation into those deaths and other security incidents, including credible reports that some elements of the security forces either obstructed the course of the elections or improperly influenced the results.
“We call on the leadership of all political parties and their supporters to allow future elections in Nigeria to go ahead peacefully.”
According to the statement, there were provocations on the part of major political parties; the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party, involved in the election.
The statement added, “We note with concern the rising tension in Rivers State ahead of elections on December 10. We followed closely the conduct of the elections held in Rivers State on December 10 and the days immediately following. We are extremely concerned by the use of incendiary language, intimidation and violence by supporters of both the major political parties prior to and during the elections.
“We praise the bravery and commitment of those Independent National Electoral Commission’s (members of) staff that persevered in their work on the ground to ensure polls went ahead in the face of severe challenges, but are troubled by reports that some INEC officials accepted payment to influence election outcomes.”



http://punchng.com/rivers-rerun-inec-us-uk-eu-want-killings-electoral-malpractices-probed/

Rivers State

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Us, UK and Eu. Just imagine the cumcubility. As if Nigeria is not a sovereign nation

If you allow yourself you will be killed and you die. My follow youth be wise