The Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) has announced the suspension of election in Asaro Toru and Ward 14 Degema Local Government Areas of Rivers state.
In a statement by the Resident Electoral Commissioner, INEC, Rivers state, Dr. Johnson Alalibo Sinikiem, said the supension had become necessary because elections could not hold in the above mentioned places as a result of voters resisting deployment of election officials and materials for the Governorship and State Assembly elections.
According to the statement, the voters and other stakeholders demanded seeing the Ward Collation Officers before they would allow election to commence.
”At ward 14 of Degema Local Government Area, the voters equally demanded that the SPO must come to the RAC with collation sheet which is the responsibility Collation Officers, thereby not allowing election to hold’, he added.
The statement said, ”standing on this premise and relying on Section 24 of the Electoral Act 2022, the Independent Electoral Commission has decided to conduct the election of Asari Toru Local government Area and Ward 14 of Degeman Local Government Area on the 19th of March, 2023”.
