Rivers rerun: One killed, 12 arrested; INEC cancels election in four LGs; security checks reduce voter turnout
Rivers State Police Command has confirmed that one person died while 12 others were arrested during Saturday’s legislative rerun elections in the South-South state.
Public Relations Officer of the command, DSP Ahmad Muhammad, said in Port Harcourt on Saturday that it received report about the death of one person in Eleme, Eleme Local Government.
Muhammad said 10 people were arrested in Eleme while two were picked up on their way to Akinima, Ahoada West Local Government Area.
“The suspects committed election-related offences. They are being interrogated while investigation has commenced on the offences committed,” he said.
He also said the police did not know what caused the death of a middle-aged man in Eleme and that the Divisional Police Officer in charge of the area received the report.
He said the command did necessary deployments to ensure credible elections in the state.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr Aneidi Ikoiwak, has announced the cancellation of legislative rerun elections in four Local Government Areas due to irregularities.
Ikoiwak told newsmen in Port Harcourt on Saturday that the affected local governments were Gokana, Khana, Andoni and Bonny.
He said some party agents attacked INEC officials for allegedly using fake election materials in their areas.
Ikoiwak described as untrue allegations that INEC sent fake election materials to some local government areas.
“All INEC materials used for the election are genuine,” he said.
The commissioner said a new date would be announced for the rerun election in the four local government areas.
Meanwhile, the election was characterised by low turnout of voters, especially in Port Harcourt and environs.
The situation was due to screening which the voters were being subjected to various security check points around the city.
At the check points, a voter is expected to raise his or her hands while approaching as sign that he or she is no carrying any dangerous item.
Some of the voters, who were seen returning to their homes, said they were not prepared to go through the rigours of raising their hands and being frisked “just because we came out to vote.’’
They said that it was their right to vote but not under such stringent condition.
“I wanted to go and vote out of my own will but I will not allow myself to be subjected to raising hands,’’ one of the voters, who declined introduction, said.
The development was critical at the polling units in Ward 2, Rumudara in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area where the voters were discouraged by the security post at Artillery junction, Aba Road.
However, polling which commenced in most areas more than two hours later than scheduled time of 8 a.m. due to late arrival of electoral officials and materials, was still ongoing.
In some centres, including those in Ward 8 in Oyigbo West and Ward 16 in Obio/Akpor, the officials arrived at between 9.30 a.m. and 10.30 a.m.
The exercise is peaceful as there is adequate presence of security personnel, and card readers deployed at the centres were functioning properly.
A voter in Ward 8, Mr Chuks Obi, commended the security arrangement for the election, saying that he was encouraged to come out and vote by the “tight security.”
According to him, in spite anticipated violence, the security presence in the state gave me the courage to come out to exercise my voting right.
Obi said that although the local government area had no history of violence, “I heard that 6, 000 policemen were deployed to the state to provide security for the election’’.
He said that such number of security personnel was not needed for election in an ideal society, and urged politicians to stop being desperate about elections.
