Inec-rec Rivers Sues For Endurance

Dr. Johnson Alalibo, the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) Rivers Residents Electoral Commissioner, has encouraged Rivers voters and all other interested parties to exercise patience and have faith in the electoral process.

Alalibo gave advice to reporters at a briefing on Sunday at the Commission’s Port Harcourt offices.

He clarified that forms EC8A, EC8A1 and ECSAA2 were largely used to gather the results of the presidential and national assembly elections from the polling places.

Alalibo said that everything went according to plan in every LGA, notwithstanding a glitch that prevented the presiding officers from posting polling place results to the INEC result page.

Alalibo blamed the issue on the inadequate network, which was a problem throughout the country.

Except from violence that won’t impact the results of the polls, he said he had instructions from the head office to conduct elections in all the places where they had been postponed owing to one issue or another within 24 hours.

Alalibo clarified that if the BIVAS malfunctions, the election may still be held within 24 hours under section 473 of the Electoral Act of 2023.

Of of the 17 registration locations in the Degema Local Government Area of the state, he said that the Commission was unable to deploy around seven of them.

He said that the Commission could hold the poll in the seven Degema zones on Monday, February 27.

Alalibo said that as soon as the results from the collation centers arrived at the Commission headquarters in Rivers, results collation at the state level will begin.

Alalibo said, “I and the Commissioner of Police have been waiting for the results; once they start pouring in, we will say collation.” We have not yet received the results from the LGAs.