March 19 Polls: REC Reads Riot Act To Staff

Rivers State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Barrister Ukel Oyaghiri (left), discussing a document with wife of Speaker, Rivers State House of Assembly, Mrs Charity Adams at the 2016 International Women Day celebration in Port Harcourt

The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Rivers State, Elder Aniedi Ikoiwak has told the staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the state that he will personally facilitate the termination of the appointment of any staff who engages in electoral malpractices in the March 19 rerun elections.
Ikoiwak gave the warning in an extra-ordinary meeting with staff of the commission from the 23 Local Government Areas in Rivers State including those  at the headquarters in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner condemned the unwholesome involvement of some staff of the commission in the electoral process in the past and warned them to desist from such unlawful practices or be prepared  to be thrown out of service.
According to the INEC boss, a lot of independent observers would be accredited to monitor and evaluate the performance of staff of the commission in the field and the reports obtained would be used to determine the fate of the staff.
“We have accredited independent observers to monitor and evaluate your conduct in the field and that will determine your promotion, commendation or even lead to your sack”, he warned.
He urged the staff to protect the integrity of the commission and the electoral process and to ensure that their personal interests and preferences did not interfere with their jobs.
The REC said that INEC staff would be deployed as presiding officers and supervisory presiding officers, especially in areas where  there are insufficient NYSC members or where there are  non at all.
The INEC boss said that the March 19 rerun elections would be conducted with the full compliment of the card reader machine, and urged the staff to live up to their duties by protecting and accounting for all electoral materials in their custody, adding that any proven case of compromise by any staff would attract severe sanctions.
The chief electoral umpire in the state disclosed that distribution of materials would start by Thursday next week and expressed confidence that INEC would do a good job come Saturday, March 19.

Opaka Dokubo