The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has suspended the August 18 by-election into the Port Harcourt 3 Constituency, owing to widespread violence that rocked different wards and polling units, halfway into the election process.
The by-election, which involved 142 polling units, was conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to fill the vacancy left by Victor Ihunwo, now Chairman, Port Harcourt City Local Government Area.
According to Obo Effanga, Rivers State Resident Electoral Commissioner, miscreants and political thugs, who were protected by some security personnel, thwarted the by-election midway into the process.
He said: “The election commenced peacefully in all the units with all the INEC personnel (adhoc and permanent) with all their materials reporting to their duty posts well ahead of time.
“However, midway into the elections, miscreants and hoodlums accompanied by heavily armed security personnel in uniform, stormed the various polling units and registered areas, disrupting voting activities, destroying and carting away election materials, including smart cards readers and ballot boxes. In addition, many electoral officials were manhandled, injured and held hostage.
“As a result of this widespread and wanton disruption of the electoral process, as reported from the field by the Supervisory Presiding Officers and Supervisors from the commission and also, having reviewed the situation, the Commission in accordance with the provisions of Section 26 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended), has decided to suspend the elections forthwith.”
Meanwhile, according to information gathered by SaharaReporters, some of the thugs involved in the violence were allegedly working for the Chief Security Adviser to Governor Nyesom Wike, who was said to have disrupted the exercise, because he sensed that the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate was in the lead.
