INEC speaks on PDP, APC clash over inspection of election materials in Rivers State

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Rivers State on Tuesday said it would “without preferences or bias” grant access to all applicants seeking inspection of materials used for the conduct of the just concluded general elections.

In a statement in Port Harcourt, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Rivers, Johnson Sinikiem, said about 50 applications were received for inspection of election materials.

The quest for inspection of election materials between the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state and its main opposition party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the state INEC office on Monday snowballed from a protest into a clash between the two parties.

Both parties have made allegations and counter-allegations over the clash.

The spokesperson of the PDP, Sydney Gbara said the APC was liaising with INEC to concoct results to subvert the mandate of the people, while his APC counterpart, Darlington Nwauju said the current happenings showed that the PDP and INEC were working together to frustrate his party from getting documents to challenge the results of the elections at the Election Petition Tribunal.

But the REC, Mr Sinikiem has appealed for the cooperation of political parties in the state, assuring them that INEC was going to exercise its constitutional and lawful duties without bias.

Mr Sinikiem said: “The Commission has received nearly fifty (50) of these applications since the conclusion of the Presidential, National Assembly, Governorship and State Assembly elections in Rivers State and a good number of these applications have been processed in accordance with the date of receipt of such applications and payment of certification fees. This process is still on-going.

“The Commission have also advised all applicants to visit our Local Government offices where these documents are domiciled for inspection, while we work out modalities for inspection of other documents domiciled at the State office in accordance with available spaces but they insisted that the huge volumes of documents like ballot papers be brought to the state office.

“They are once again reminded to avail themselves of this opportunity at our Local Government offices to inspect these materials as earlier advised.”

The protest which has lasted for days, has taken several dimensions including performances by masquerades, and incantations by Juju priests. When Africa Update visited the INEC office along Port Harcourt Aba Road on April 5, scores of men and women were seen drinking, eating and dancing under canopies erected around the INEC office.