The fact-finding panel constituted which the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC constituted to look into what occurred during the conduct of the last governorship and state assembly elections in Rivers state has concluded its assignment.
Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Mr Rotimi Oyekanmi told journalists in response to media enquiries that the panel which is headed by Prof. Anthonia Simbine would submit its report to the commission for further action.
“The Rivers Fact Finding Committee is back and will submit its report to the Commission, which will study it and decide on the next line of action”, he said on Friday.
Pressed for specific timelines on the above, Mr Oyekanmi said the commission would make its decision public after studying and deliberating on the report.
Saturday Vanguard learned that the committee whose deadline lapsed since Wednesday could not submit its report the following day as the commission spent all day presenting certificates of return to over 400 federal lawmakers.
Following reports of widespread violence and disruption of elections in the state, INEC had announced the suspension of all electoral processes. While the suspension was indefinite, the commission also launched a probe of the entire processes and its fact-finding committee was to report back in 48 hours.
The deadline ended Tuesday. “Based on reports from our officials in the field, the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC has determined that there has been widespread disruption of elections conducted on the 9th day of March 2019 in Rivers State”, the commission had stated while suspending the processes.
Recall that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had earlier suspended elections in the State “until further notice” due to confusion arising from perceived irregularities during the whole process.
A statement issued on Sunday by Festus Okoye, Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, based the commission’s decision of “widespread disruption of elections” in the governorship and state house of assembly elections held on Saturday, March 9, 2019.
After a meeting of the commission held on Sunday, the commission took the decision in line with Section 26 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) and Clause 47(e) of the Regulations and Guidelines of the Commission.
(Vanguard/Sahara Reporters)
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