By Iyalla Adaye
Port Harcourt
Following the experiences, during the March 28th Presidential and April 11 governorship elections in Rivers state, the All Progressive Congress (APC) said it has lost confidence in the ability of INEC to conduct a credible, free and fair elections.
In a statement signed by Hon. Chidi Lioyd; Etche, Victor Amadi; Etche 1; Hon. Golden Chioma, Etche 2; Hon. Ibiso Nwuche, Ahoada East 2; Eric Apia, Ahoada East 1 and made to newsmen in Pot Harcourt, the party said it opposed to the Saturday 18th April 2015 elections because INEC officials compromised with the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
The APC House of Assembly candidates stated that INEC, allegedly, failed to provide security for the voters, including people living around the polling units as the security agencies refused to carry out their duties to protect the people.
The statement added that the presence and involvement of heavily armed militants and other criminally minded and anti-social persons in the elections, encouraged and sponsored by certain politicians and political parties, rendered the exercise useless.
“More so there are no national and international observers available to monitor the elections to ensure credible, free and fair as they have withdrawn from their roles and left the state in the wake of horrible violence, bestiality and disgraceful electoral malpractices recorded on March 28th and April 11.
The party reiterated that there was no official communication by INEC to the All Progressives Congress concerning the re run elections due to be supervised by the REC Gesila Khan, whose handling of the recent poll was most controversial.
It also explained that exposing Rivers people to further violence in the name of fresh elections, was not in the interest of electorate and therefore, wished “to serve a strong, healthy, happy and living electorate and not risk their lives of the supporters for an election that would never be.”
