INEC To Hold Outstanding Polls In Rivers State Saturday

The Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) has fixed Saturday this
week for the conclusion of outstanding rerun
elections in Etche and Omuma Local
Government Areas in Rivers State.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in
the state, Aniedi Ikoiwa, said this in a
statement issued in Port Harcourt yesterday.
He said the exercise would hold in Etche and
Omuma councils.
The election, according to the statement, is to
fill the Etche constituency II seat in the state
House of Assembly and Etche/Omuma seat in
the House of Representatives.
INEC said the election would hold in 147
polling units in 19 registration areas in Etche
and one polling unit (Umuogba Community I)
in Omuma.
The commission encouraged eligible voters in
the constituencies to come out en masse to
vote for their candidates.
”The commission assures the public of a
credible and fair conclusion of the election in
Etche Local Government Area,” the statement
read.
It also said arrangements had been made for
adequate security during the exercise.
Following court rulings that invalidated the
2015 federal and state legislative elections in
the state, INEC slated March 19, 2016, for
rerun poll.
But the exercise was marred by violence,
which forced the electoral body to suspend
the polls midway.
On December 10, 2016, when the rerun was
rescheduled, it was inconclusive in Etche and
part of Omuma areas due to some
irregularities, prompting the repeat which has
been fixed for Saturday.