Tai Rerun: Stakeholders Slam INEC …Banigo Seeks NASS Intervention

Reactions from stakeholders in Rivers State have continued to trail the Tuesday’s remarks by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Resident Electoral Commissioner in Rivers State, Elder Aniedi Ikoiwak, that results of the March 19 rerun elections in Tai Local Government Area remain valid.
The Tide reports that the Chairman, Rivers State Chapter of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Felix Obuah, and the Publicity Secretary, Samuel Nwanosike, had immediately after the remarks, criticised what they described as INEC’s relentless attempts to disrupt the peace and stability of the state through the release of March 19 rerun election results for Tai Local Government Area.
In a swift reaction, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Campaign Organization in Tai Local Government Area, kicked against INEC’s insistence that results of the March 19 rerun elections in Rivers State remain valid.
The Director General of We Must Win Campaign, Gideon Deemor, in a chat with newsmen, challenged INEC to show proof of when it lifted the suspension of the election following alleged violence and irregularities that marred the election.
Deemor said the people of Tai will not accept attempts by INEC to allocate votes to the APC illegally.
He reminded INEC that there was a subsisting court order restraining the commission from announcing the result of Tai in the March 19 rerun elections.
Also reacting, the immediate past Chairman, Caretaker Committee of Tai Local Government Area, Perkins Kelo, called on the people of Tai to remain peaceful and law- abiding despite statements by INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Aniedi Ikoiwak, confirming the validation of election in the area.
Kelo reminded Ikoiwak that the issue bordering on the Tai election was before a court of competent jurisdiction.
He said the people of Tai must be allowed to exercise their franchise.
It would be recalled that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has insisted that the results of Tai in the March 19 rerun elections remain valid.
The INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in Rivers State, Elder Aniedi Ikoiwak, told newsmen in his office in Port Harcourt, that the law does not allow the commission to cancel any election that had been done at the polling units.
Ikoiwak, however, admitted that INEC in Rivers State initially suspended the election in Tai but said the ratification of the Tai election by INEC’s National Commissioner in charge of Operations, Amina Zakari, was lawful.
He further explained that the commission was always neutral in its actions, adding that it was time Nigerians began to show faith in institutions of government.
Meanwhile, as the National Assembly resumes from its recess to face legislative business this week, Rivers State Deputy Governor, Dr. Ipalibo Harry Banigo has called on the national lawmakers to prevail on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to come out with a definite date and clean blue print for the conduct of a free and fair rerun elections in Rivers State tentatively slated for October by INEC to save the state from seemingly orchestrated political victimisation.
In a statement, Banigo said it is sad, provocative and a constitutional breach for INEC to relish in lackadaisical disposition and statements that portray it as being unserious, inept and overwhelmed in conducting election in Rivers State.
The deputy governor wondered why it is only one opposition party out of 30 registered political parties in the state that is not complaining about the endless and teleguided postponement, describing the inaction of INEC as a demonstration of incompetence and a dangerous trend to the sustenance of the democratic process.
She regretted that under the current leadership of INEC, the country now has infamous legacies of inconclusive and needless postponement of elections since the exit of Professor Attahiru Jega.
Banigo urged the National Assembly to invite INEC for interrogation over their inability to conduct rerun elections in the state.
Meanwhile, a pro-Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) group, Grassroots Development Initiative (GDI), has threatened to petition the international community, if the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) fails to conduct legislative rerun elections in Rivers State proposed for October.
The President General of GDI, Bright Amaewhule, who issued the threat while speaking with newsmen in Port Harcourt, added that the group will no longer accept further postponement of the legislative election.
He complained that the people of the various constituencies where elections have not been concluded in Rivers State are being denied representation at the national and state assemblies.
Amaewhule said PDP may be forced to take to the streets, if the elections do not hold in October.
The GDI president general warned that the frequent postponement of elections in Rivers State over alleged insecurity will no longer be accepted.

Josephine Atagana