Amaechi ignorant of law on election results sheets —INEC

THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State erred by demanding for the election results sheets before being accredited for last Saturday’s election. The governor had, during the presidential and National Assembly elections, at his ward in Ubima, in Ikwerrre Local Government Area, refused to be accredited for the election, demanding that the results sheets should be produced before the exercise.
The electoral umpire also debunked the claim that there was no election due to non-availability of the result sheets, as it claimed that the All Progressives Congress (APC), accredited political party agent present at the INEC Ikwerre, Steve Worgu, signed the materials, both sensitive and non-sensitive, distributed at the local council, which, it said, were complete, including result sheets, before the officials proceeded to the field.
Rivers State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mrs Gisela Khan, described the action of the governor as that of someone acting in ignorance.
Khan, in a statement she personally signed and made available to newsmen in Port Harcourt, on Sunday, said the elections held in the state, in accordance with the extant Electoral Laws.
“The result of the presidential, senatorial and House of Representatives elections held in the 23 local government areas of Rivers State on Saturday, March 28, 2015 are being collated at the federal constituency and senatorial collation centres.
“The presidential election ward summations are being submitted by the electoral officers at the state presidential collation centre and the collation is ongoing at the INEC state headquarters in Port Harcourt.
“INEC wishes to inform the general public that the law does not permit everyone to be shown the result sheets, hence all political parties are expected to have their party agents at the distribution centres, to ensure that the materials (both sensitive and non-sensitive) are all completed before the election officials proceed to the field.
“Also, the agents at the polling units are expected to ensure that materials are complete before election commences. Where there is shortfall, the party agent will have it in their report and summit complaint to INEC.
“It is on record that the All Progressives Congress (APC) accredited party agent, who was present at the INEC Ikwerre, Steve Worgu, signed the materials distributed at the LGA, including result sheets before the officials proceeded to the field.
“Also, INEC did not receive any report from any APC party agent in all the 181 polling units in Ikwerre Local Government Area. At the stage the governor of Rivers State, Chibuike Amaechi, complained of not sighting the electoral result sheets, voting has not commenced; that was merely accreditation stage, which has nothing to do with result sheets.
“Please, note that the governor of Rivers State went to the poll as a voter and not as a governor,” the statement read.
The Rivers REC also confirmed that the INEC office in Emohua Local Government Area was burnt on Sunday by yet-to-be identified arsonists.
“Report reaching us now is that the INEC local government area office situated inside the Rivers State Local Government Council in Emeoha has been burnt down,” she said.