Monday the 31st of October marked the expiration of the deadline given by the Independent National Electoral Commission, for the conclusion of all outstanding elections in Rivers State.
The announcement was made at a multi-party meeting in August, but there aren’t signs that legislative elections would take place as promised.
The delay doesn’t seem to go down well with many, who feel the state is being denied its representation at both the state and national houses of assembly.
The electoral umpire had in meetings with stakeholders given this assurance, but as it stands it is obvious that it would not be able to match its words with action this month.
October has come and gone and voters in the state remain under represented in more than 15 vacant legislative seats.
The expiration of the INEC’s October deadline seems to be having no negative effects on the optimism of the political parties expected to participate in the polls.
Even as the inconclusive election continues to generate so much anxiety amongst stakeholders, civil society groups are planning to take a more drastic step.
For now, INEC is yet to give reasons for its inability to beat the October deadline again.
But some eligible voters have pledged to turn out in their numbers for the exercise whenever a new date is fixed.
