In a move suspected by many to be fraught with mischief, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at midnight on Friday, March 15, 2019 released a statement on the findings of its fact-finding committee sent to probe into allegations of disruption of the governorship and House of Assembly elections in Rivers State.

The commission had suspended electoral processes in the state on Sunday, March 10, 2019 citing violence and other infractions, stating that it decision was based on Section 26 of the Electoral Act. Stakeholders have since faulted the commission on this position, pointing out that the said section of the Electoral Act dealt with proposed elections which conduct maybe affected adversely by unforeseen emergencies.

One of them, a chieftain of the APC, Tonye Princewill gave thumbs down to the election umpire for acting ultra vires by taking a decision that was not known to law.

In the statement issued last night by INEC the commission said after a review of its fact-finding committee’s report it established that 1) That the Governorship and State Assembly elections took place in most of the polling units and results were announced. 2) That the results from 17 Local Governments out of 23 are available and are in the Commission’s custody. 3) That the Declaration and Returns for 21 State Constituencies out of 32 were made prior to the suspension. 4) That collation centres were invaded by some soldiers and armed gangs resulting in the intimidation and unlawful arrest of election officials thereby disrupting the collation process.

Consequently, the commission accused “soldiers and armed gangs in Rivers State” for “disrupting the collation process and attempting to subvert the will of the people”.

It further stated that it was “committed to expeditious completion of the collation process where results of the elections have been announced,” disclosing that it “will engage the security agencies at the national level and the lnter-Agency Consultative Committee at the State level to demand neutrality and professionalism of security personnel in order to secure a peaceful environment for the completion of the elections.

It added that it “will also engage with key stakeholders in Rivers State with a view to ensuring a smooth and peaceful completion of the process and also “issue detailed timelines and activities for the completion of the election on Wednesday, March 20th, 2019”.

But a close look at INEC’s statement shows that it failed to address critical issues raised by concerned stakeholders. For instance, INEC failed to answer the following questions:

1) Will its Resident Electoral Commissioner, Obo Effanga, who has been accused of partisanship and alleged card carrying member of the one of the contending parties, be allowed to conduct the concluding part of the elections in six LGAs? 

2) Will the identified partisan Returning Officers, namely Professor Wotogre Weneka, Dr Peter Medee, Dr Goodhope Igwe, Chizobam Azuonwu, Amos Iruenabere, Gbenekanu Mpigi, Ibiere Major Jack, Given Wagbara, amongst other identified card carrying members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state be sanctioned or not? 

3) Will Obo Effanga who appointed these knowing fully well of their partisan status be sanctioned or not for contravening the clearly stated provisions of the Electoral Act on the neutrality, nonpartisanship and unblemished status of collation/returning officers? 

4) Which are the 17 LGAs where collation was concluded and announced? 

5) Which are the 6 LGAs where the election was inconclusive? 

6) Were the reports of the security agencies accommodated in the fact-finding committee’s report? 

7) What was the position of INEC on reports that results were allegedly being written in Government House?

It appears INEC did not find these pertinent issues worthy of consideration as such raising justifiable suspicion that the fact-finding committee might have been compromised as alleged in some quarters.

A staff of the commission who spoke to Kristina Reports on condition of anonymity expressed dismay that the commission was being economical with the reality of what transpired during the polls.

“If what they announced in that press release was what they found obviously something is not right. Those of us who were out there on the field know what we saw and what happened.”

“I’m surprised our ogas at the top were quiet on the issue of fake soldiers and Neighbourhood Watch guys who attacked us and almost killed some of us. Both fake and real soldiers disturbed the polls and they are only talking about one side”.