Degema Polls: Opposition Blames Loss On RSIEC

The opposition political parties in Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State that took part in the  September 17council  elections in the area have fingered the State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) for their woeful performance.

In an interview with The Tide, the State Chairman of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Mr. Princewill Enyi, said the electoral body worked on a written script designed to ensure total victory for the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Mr. Enyi, explained that the political parties were supposed to receive grants from the commission to enable them prosecute the council elections but RSIEC withheld the funds till after elections, thereby denying the opposition resources to campaign effectively.

According to him, the non- release of the grants by the state government for political parties to run the election, was a strategy employed by the PDP to starve other parties of funds and an attempt to frustrate them.

The NNPP chairman said the grants were meant for pre-election purposes, but regretted that it was delayed till after the election to give the PDP and upper hand.

Mean while, the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC)  declared the PDP Chairmanship candidate, Mr Daddy Pokima  winner of the Degema council election.

The PDP Chairmanship candidate,  polled 14,261 votes to defeat other candidates in the election which many described as free and fair.

According to the result released by the electoral body, PDP won 13 councillorship seats out of the 17 wards, All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) won two councillorship seats while two wards had their elections cancelled by RSIEC.

A statement from RSIEC and signed by Mr. Nimi Walson Jack, said the election in Bakana Ward 11 was cancelled due to violent attacks on poll officials and snatching of electoral materials .