The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Rivers State has reacted angrily to comments made by the Resident Electoral Commission, indicating that there is no going back on the decision to adopt the rerun election result for Tai Local Government Area.
Tai was one of the local governments whose Carteraker Committees were recently dissolved by Governor Nyesom Wike.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, had insisted that the result of Tai in the March 19 rerun election remains valid.
INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in Rivers State, Aniedi Ikoiwak, pointed out that the law does not allow the commission to cancel any election that had been done at the polling units.
Aniedi Ikoiwak, however, admitted that “INEC in Rivers State initially suspended the election in Tai but the ratification of the Tai election by INEC’s National Commissioner in charge of Operation Amina Zakari was lawful.”
He further explained that the commission is always neutral in its action, calling on Nigerians to have faith in institutions of government.
Meanwhile, State Chairman of the PDP, Felix Obuah, said he received the renewed statement by INEC, through Aniedi Ikoiwak, with grave disappointment and suspicion of grand conspiracy with a rival political party.
The PDP Chairman said the action has further exposed the compromised stance of INEC and confirmed an undisputable pact between some of its officials in the State and in Abuja with rival politicians.
In a separate reaction, the State Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Samuel Wonosike urged President Muhammadu Buhari to call the leadership of the electoral commission to order over the Tai rerun election result.
He told newsmen in Port Harcourt that the PDP had secured a court injunction that forbids INEC from declaring the rerun election result for Tai.
He said what INEC should have done was to first vacate the court order before taking any action of the Tai rerun election, which INEC had previously suspended along with other local government areas.
“We have done everything possible to ensure that Rivers state is peaceful but INEC is trying to compromise this effort. For Aniedi Ikoiwak to come out and pronounce that the election in Tai has been upheld can breach the security of this state.
“Nobody voted in Tai and we insist on that position. INEC cannot impose results on the people.”
The PDP spokesman further alleged that the party has obtained information that plans had been made to rig the party out of the remaining rerun legislative elections.
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