The independent national electoral commission, INEC has continued to defend its indefinite postponement of the legislative rerun elections in Rivers State.
The Rivers state resident electoral commissioner Aniedi Ikoiwak who defended the electoral umpire’s decision cited insecurity as reason.
TVC News Uche Okoro reports that in the build up to the now postponed July 30th rerun, INEC had convened several stakeholders meetings in Rivers State, at the end of each of these,peace accords were signed.
Conveners of these fora had thought that they will go a long way in forestalling a repeat of the orgy of violence that marred two previous elections in the state in the last one-year.
But the INEC commissioner regrets that the political tension in the state had rather continued unabated.
According to him,with the number of inconclusive elections in the country, it would have been ill advised to proceed with the conduct of the rerun elections in Rivers given the State’s present security situation.
Ikoiwak denied allegations that the rerun elections were postponed indefinitely to favor either the two major political parties in the state.
He gave assurance that INEC would continue to hold peace talks with the political parties, their candidates and other and other stakeholders.
The River INEC commissioner also hinted that the commission is working with security agencies to beef up security around it’s facilities across the State.
It would be recalled that only last week,INEC office in Bori, Khana Local Government Area was set ablaze by alleged political thugs.
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