The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in Rivers state has debunked reports made by the All Progressives Congress in the state that it has refused the party access to vital documents they need to present before the election Tribunal.
Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Dame Gesila Khan debunked the claim after presenting Certificates of Return to thirty-one out of the thirty-two lawmakers elected into the State House of Assembly.
Dame Khan who described the allegations from APC as “spurious” confirmed that the APC in the state had applied for certain documents but stressed that INEC obliged the request of every political party that had asked for documents, including the APC.
Khan said, “The attention of INEC, Rivers State has been drawn to the news item carried by several Nigeria newspapers and electronic media houses to the effect that the Resident electoral Commissioner, Rivers state, Dame Gesila Khan has been frustrating the APC, Rivers state’s move to collect documents for the election tribunal to challenge the election results.
“Without joining issues with the APC Rivers state on the spurious allegations contained in the statement of the Chairman of the party, Mr. Davies Ibiamo Ikeanya, we hereby state the facts as it is evident by our records.
“An application for certified true copy of forms EC8C, EC8C (1) and EC4OD for the Governorship and House of Assembly Elections for the 23 Local Government Areas, dated 12th April 2015 was received by INEC, Rivers state the same day. INEC, Rivers state records show that the representatives of the APC and other political parties that applied commenced the collection of the requested documents from the 16th April up till date, 29th April, 2015.
“From the sequence of events concerning these applications, it becomes obvious that these allegations are unfounded and are circulated to smear the image of INEC, Rivers State and the REC”.
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