INEC bows to pressure, fixes December 10 for Rivers elections

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INEC bows to pressure, fixes December 10 for Rivers elections

Barely 24 hours after the Nigerian Senate issued a threat that to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to conduct elections in Rivers State before 10th December, the commission has succumbed.

In a statement signed on Thursday by the Secretary to the Commission, Mrs. Augusta Ogakwu, the umpire fixed Saturday December 10 for the rerun elections into the Senate, House of Representatives and House of Assembly in Rivers State.

INEC also announced its intention to conduct outstanding elections in Lagos State and Council poll in Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.


“After months of intensive planning and wide consultations, the Independent National Electoral Commission today approved the conduct of the following elections.

“1. Lagos, House of Representative election – Saturday Dec 3, 2016.

“2. Federal Capital Territory (FCT) – Councillorship election – Saturday Dec 3, 2016.

“3. Rivers – National Assembly (Senate and House of Representatives) and State House of Assembly elections – Saturday December 10, 2016”, the statement read.


It could be recalled that the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu and leader of the Senate, Aliyu Ndume had raised a motion of urgent public importance at the Wednesday’s plenary where the upper chamber resolved that INEC must conduct pending rerun elections in Rivers State before December 10, or the Senate will suspend sittings.

The House of Representatives had also, through its Minority Leader, Leo Ogor raised similar motion of urgent public importance the previous day, where he led a debate which made the Reps to pass resolution that INEC must conclude all outstanding elections in Rivers State and other parts of the country.