Rivers Rerun Polls For Dec 10 …At Last, INEC Takes Date …RVHA Wants INEC Probed

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has fixed December 10 for the conduct of the outstanding National and State Assembly elections in Rivers State.
A statement by the Secretary to the commission, Mrs Auguta Ogakwu, yesterday in Abuja said that the commission had also approved December 3 to conduct election for the vacant Ifako/Ijaiye seat of Lagos State in the House of Representatives.
The seat became vacant following the death of the member who represented the constituency in the House, Mr Adewale Oluwatayo in July.
On the same day, according to the statement, the commission will also conclude rescheduled councillorship polls in some area councils in the Federal Capital Territory.
“After months of intensive planning and wide consultations, the Independent National Electoral Commission, yesterday approved the conduct of Lagos’ House of Representative election on Saturday, December 3, 2016.
“Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Councillorship election will also hold on Saturday, December 3, 2016.
“Rivers, National Assembly (Senate and House of Representatives) and State House of Assembly elections on Saturday, December 10, 2016,” the statement said.
It would be recalled that the National Assembly on Wednesday, gave INEC December 10 deadline to conduct pending elections in Rivers and other parts of the country.
The Senate also threatened to suspend plenary if the commission failed to meet the deadline.
Earlier, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it had always been ready to conclude the suspended re-run parliamentary elections in Rivers State, but subject to conducive environment for the exercise.
The Deputy Director of Voter Education and Publicity in the commission, Mr Nick Dazang, stated this in an interview with newsmen in Abuja.
Dazang spoke in reaction to the December 10 deadline given to the commission by the National Assembly on Wednesday to conduct the outstanding polls in Rivers State.
The Senate had threatened to suspend plenary, if INEC failed to meet the deadline.
Dazang said that it was unfortunate that in spite of the commission’s readiness for the elections, some stakeholders in the state were uncooperative, not helping to create peaceful environment needed for conduct of the exercise.
He said that as a sign of good faith, INEC had engaged stakeholders in several meetings in Abuja and in the state on the issue.
“In fact, at a point, we articulated a road map of activities that would climax with the National and State Assembly elections in the state.
“Sadly, on the eve of the proposed schedule for the conduct of the elections in that state, our office in one of the local government areas of the state was razed down.
“In spite of this, we have remained resolute in our determination and have continued to engage with stakeholders.
“Our determination is further underscored by the fact that recently, the commission directed all relevant departments to submit their inputs for the Rivers National and State Assembly elections,” he said.
The deputy director said that the commission’s initial plan was to conclude all suspended elections before the governorship elections in Edo and Ondo States in September and November, respectively.
“This was, however, truncated by the spate of violence, particularly in Rivers State and the inflammatory rhetoric of some stakeholders,” he said.
He, however, assured that with the ultimatum by the lawmakers, INEC would meet with the stakeholders to review the situation and agree on a date.
It would be recalled that the re-run elections in the state ordered by the judiciary and scheduled for March 19, 2016, was suspended in parts of the state due to high level of violence that characterised the exercise.
The commission fixed July 31 to conclude the elections, but was again forced to postpone the exercise following reports of violence ahead of the polls.
It, therefore, resolved that it would return to the state to conclude the elections only when the state government and all stakeholders in the state gave undertaking of adequate security during the period the exercise would be conducted.
Dazang told newsmen that neither the Rivers State Government nor the stakeholders had given the undertaking.
In a related development, the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has commended the Senate for rising to the occasion in defence of democracy as it concerns rerun elections in the state.
The governor declared that it was important that Rivers State gets her full representation at the Senate, the House of Representatives and the Rivers State House of Assembly.
Speaking at the Government House, Port Harcourt, when he granted audience to a delegation of the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission, yesterday, Wike said: “I thank God that the Senate has risen to the occasion.
“It is important that the Senate has taken the right action that will ensure that Rivers State gets her representatives to speak for the state when issues of national importance are discussed in the Senate and the House of Representatives”.
He reiterated that there was no reason why the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been unable to conduct the rerun elections because the state still generates the highest oil revenue and no pipeline has been vandalized as a result of insecurity.
Commenting on the presentation by the delegation of the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission, Wike faulted the claim that the non-oil sector was now generating 50 per cent of the nation’s revenue since recession.
He noted that the country still relies on oil revenue, but pointed out that it was necessary to diversify the country’s revenue generation mechanism.
He, however, stated that the Rivers State Government will support the auditing and generation of statistics of the non-oil revenue sector by the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission.
Leader of the commission’s delegation and Federal Commissioner, Mr Sanya Omirin, said that the team was in the state to conduct a holistic auditing of the non-oil sector, verify mining companies with licences, verify mining leases and confirm royalties that accrue from mining.
He added that the commission was working to bring all mining operators within the tax operations of the government for revenue generation.
He said the steps have become necessary because of the need to diversify the nation’s economy.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State House of Assembly (RVHA) yesterday called on the Federal Government to call Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to order over its failure to conduct all pending rerun elections into legislative positions in both state and National Assemblies.
The House also called on INEC, to as a matter of urgency, conduct rerun elections in Rivers State as ordered by the National Assembly, or face legal action.
This followed the unanimous adoption of a motion sponsored by the Leader of the House, Hon. Martin Amaewhule at the plenary session of the House in Port Harcourt.
Moving the motion, Amaewhule said that failure of INEC to conduct the rerun elections in the state within the time frame given by the respective election PetitionTribunals was a total breach of the Electoral Act and Section 76 of the 1999 Constitution and therefore, urged the Federal Government to set-up a panel to probe the commission.
Contributing to the motion, a member representing Akuku-Toru Constituency 1, Hon. Major Jack, said the Assembly cannot sit and watch the state tolerate INEC’s maltreating and denying of the state its equal representation at both state and National Assemblies.
Also contributing, the lawmaker representing Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Constituency 11, Hon. Uwaji Nathaniel condemned the non-conduct of rerun elections in Rivers State by INEC despite the orders of election petition tribunal in Abuja.
This followed a motion sponsored by Hon. Okpokiri Nwanaka at the plenary session.
In his presentation, Hon. Nwanaka observed that, no serious action was taken either by the Federal Government or security agencies over the killing of an innocent man by a soldier.
In his comment, Speaker of the House, Hon. Adams Dabotorudima commended the sponsor of the motion, saying that the House would ensure that appropriate action was taken to call INEC to order.

Enoch Epelle