As
controversy continues to trail the suspended announcement of the results of the
March 23rd Rives State Governorship and State House of Assembly elections
in Rivers state, a Coalition of Observer groups that observed the elections
in the state has decried the consistent
attacks on the Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state Barr. Obo Effanga describing
the attacks as an attempt on blackmailing him which must be condemned by
patriotic democrats in the country.
The
Coalition in a press statement signed by its Leader and the Head of the
Nigerian Vote Count Campaigners Comrade Emmanuel Nkweke aka Mr. Vote Count,
said the elections in the state does not reflect the criticism that has trailed
the REC to the extent of calling for his resignation or deployment.
The
statement said “maligning the character of the person of the REC in the state
who conducted one of the best elections since the advent of our present democracy
despite the cumbersome challenges that pervaded the elections in the state only
goes a long way to show the desperation of politicians who are the real cause
of the problems that occurred in the state on March 23rd”.
“Instead
of attacking the Independent National Electoral Commission and the Resident
Electoral Commissioner in the state, politicians should rather apologise to the
people of the state over their conducts that led to the suspension”. The
Coalition said it supported the suspension because if not for such timely
intervention by the electoral umpire, whatever outcome that may have occurred
would have been a complete rape on democracy not only in the state but in the
country considering the significance of the election.
“|Our
Coalition believes the suspension was for the good of democracy in the state
and the country at large. The suspension has covered up the monumental ridicule
which the country would have been subjected to in the comity of nations. At
this point in time, we wish to give the REC in the state a vote of confidence
for his efforts to carry out the elections despite the monumental challenges he
was faced with. Politicians must learn to give credit to people that suffered
to ensure that democracy stands and not to subject them to unnecessary
character assassination as is being witnessed in Rivers State”. The statement
added.
The
Coalition promised to ensure that Nigerians have the benefit of knowing what
was observed in the elections in the state on the 3rd of April at the NUJ Conference centre Port Harcourt .
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