INEC again postpones Rivers re-run elections

(Nigeria) The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has again postponed the re-run elections in Rivers State slated for July 30, 2016 over the fire that gutted its office in  Khana Local Government Area of the state on Friday.

A statement on Tuesday in Abuja by Augusta Ogakwu, said "INEC has, in conjunction with security agencies, relevant extra-ministerial departments and agencies and civil society organisations undertaken periodic electoral risk assessments in the three and a half weeks since this decision was reached at the National Stakeholders Meeting held in Abuja on June 30, 2016.

"The reports of these  assessment have been almost unanimous in concluding that the prevailing security situation in most parts of the state where elections are to be undertaken are not conducive for peaceful elections. In the commission's view, the rhetorics of some of the political actors, the incidence of violence in a number of the local government areas where these elections are scheduled and the atmosphere of fear and intimidation created by these rhetorics and violence, all indicate a clear and present danger in proceeding with the elections as earlier scheduled.

“This situation is now further worsened by direct attacks on the Commission, of which the most recent and glaring was the burning down of INEC office in Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State on July 22, 2016.

"As a responsible organisation and conscious of the violence, maiming and fatalities which accompanied the previous elections in March as well as developments in the state since then, the commission cannot ignore such credible reports.

“In the circumstances therefore, it is compelled to further postpone the rerun legislative elections in Rivers State as one of the principal conditions earlier stipulated for the return to the state for the conclusion of the elections has, regrettably, not been met."