As the Independent Na
tional Electoral Commission (INEC), gears up for the rerun legislative elections on 30th July, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abua/Odual Local Government Area of Rivers state, has shunned a stakeholders’ meeting called by the electoral body to discuss how to ensure smooth and violence-free polls in the area.
The parley, held last wwek in Abua Central, headquarters of the local government, was attended by the Deputy Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Hon Marshall Uwom; the state Women Affairs Commissioner, Mrs Ukel Oyaghiri; the LGA CTC Chairman, Chief Oye Fubara Igenewari; the LGA PDP Chairman, Mr Optimist Wariboko; and representatives from other political parties in the LGA.
Speaking at the event, the Electoral Officer, Mr Emmanuel Ebifa, expressed shock that the All Progressives Congress chairman and representatives were absent, stating that invitation letters were sent to all the political parties and stakeholders in the same manner, and wondered why the APC was absent in the meeting.
Ebifa further informed those present at the meeting that he even called the APC chairman in the LGA, Hon Gift Igoma, while the meeting was ongoing, and that the chairman, in response, promised to send a representative.
The electoral officer, however, stated that the upcoming election scheduled for Saturday, 30 July, 2016, will hold only in wards 11 and 12 of the LGA, and appealed for the co-operations of all to ensure a smooth exercise.
Speaking, the Abua/Odua Council Caretaker Committee Chairman, Chief Oye Fubara Igenewari commended the security agencies for their untiring efforts at sustaining the existing peace and security in the area but denounced their activities in the last rerun election.
According to him, “I stand here as the head of government of this place, and we are to provide, in conjunction with the security agencies, a level playing field. We are not known to be partisan when it comes to security, and it is also my complaint that during the last election, I was treated as if I was not holding the office I am holding in this place.
‘’I was not recognized as the chief security officer of this LGA. At some point, I was even molested,” he said.
He, however, appealed for a change of attitude, and called on the electoral officer to clarify which wards and units the election would take place in the LGA.
On his part, the Deputy Speaker, Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon Marshall Uwom also commended the security agencies for the sustained peace in the LGA but frowned at the indiscriminate arrest of members of a particular political party in the area during the last rerun election.
Uwom appealed for their cooperation to ensure that the upcoming exercise was smooth, free and fair.
The state Women Affairs Commissioner, Mrs Ukel Oyaghiri, appealed to INEC to ensure quick and timely distribution of election materials and personnel in view of the difficult terrain of the affected wards and units.
In an interview shortly after the parley, Mr Emmanuel Ebifa, told newsmen that election will take place in wards 11 and 12, adding that “for other units, the head office will confirm to us and we shall inform you in the same way we have called for this meeting.”
In a communique signed after the meeting by all political parties present except the APC, the parties agreed to refrain from violence on, before and after the elections.