Mixed Reactions Trail Planned Rivers Re-Run Poll

The reassurance by the
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to meet the deadline of July 31 for the conclusion of the rerun legislative election in Rivers State has elicited mixed reactions from stakeholders.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner, Rivers State, Elder Aniedi Ikowaik had announced during meeting with stakeholders, political parties and security agencies last Tuesday that the conclusion of the rerun election would be held July 31, 2016.
The Rivers State Chairman of the Social Democratic Party,(SDP), Engineer Joshua Worlu while reacting to the meeting called last Tuesday suggested that it is necessary for the electoral body to fix another meeting with political Parties and stakeholders before the end of this month to determine if the rescheduled legislative re run election will hold next Month as planned.
Worlu said the meeting would reassure the political parties and candidates of the various political parties of  the preparedness by the INEC for the conclusion of the election.
Worlu revealed that the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Rivers State, was not specific of the July 31 rescheduled date for the rerun legislative election in the state.
The SDP Chairman said although his party was ready for the next month election as planned by the electoral body, we said that all the political parties were expecting another meeting with the electoral body to see how prepared they were for the conclusion of the rerun elections in the state.
The Tide gathered that the commission has only met with security agencies and political parties but yet to specify on how it has prepared for the elections.
The March 19th re run elections were suspended in all the senatorial districts of the state, while few state constituencies and federal constituencies’ election results were released after the rerun election in March.
The re-run elections were held following the Appeal Court rulings last December, while INEC said they cancelled most of the elections as a result of violence.
Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have expressed their willingness and readiness to participate in the rescheduled legislative elections next month as planned by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The two leading political parties which made their intentions known on Tuesday during the stakeholders meeting at the Police Officers Mess, Port Harcourt, urged the electoral body to ensure that violators of the guidelines were punished, to serve as deterrent to those who commit cases of violence during elections.
The Rivers State Chairman of the APC, Dr.Davies Ibiamu Ikanya represented his party while Senator George Sekibo represented the PDP.
Some of the political parties, including Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), leadership in the state were present as they commended the INEC for reaffirming their readiness for the conduct of the election in the state.