The Independent National Electoral Commission says it will not be ready to conclude the legislative rerun elections in Rivers State until October this year.
However; the electoral commission is still undecided about a specific date for the long-awaited rerun polls, which were first aborted on 19th of March.
INEC National Commissioner, Amina Zakari gave this indication during a meeting with political stakeholders in Rivers State.
“We need to understand that elections are not just get up and go. It is not like going to the race track. Infact even a race track, the athletes have to prepare. So we must prepare and that is the reason why we cannot just come back to Rivers without ensuring that we are prepared and you are prepared because the election is for you. The electorates are your electorates.
“If there is continuous violence, there can not be elections,” Zakari said.
However, the decision to delay the elections further did not go down well with Senator George Sekibo who is the PDP candidate for Rivers East Senatorial District.
Senator Sekibo recalled that INEC had postponed the election based on the arson attack on its office in Bori, stressing that the decision should not have affected elections in his constituency.
Senator Sekibo also insinuated that INEC had reached the decision to further delay the rerun elections after an alleged secret meeting with some APC leaders from Rivers State.
On his part; Senator Magnus Abe who is the APC candidate for Rivers South-East Senatorial District, requested INEC to release details of specific locations where the rerun elections would take place.
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