The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner, in Rivers State, Obo Effanga said despite pressures and attacks, the commission conducted credible elections in line with extant laws in the State.
Effanfa spoke while presenting the Certificate of Return to the Governor-elect, and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidate, Nyesom Wike.
Governor Nyesom Wike of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has been declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC as the winner of the Rivers Governorship Election.
Wike polled 886,264 votes to lead other candidates in the Rivers governorship election.
INEC had suspended collation and announcement of results in the state on March 10, citing electoral violence.
The electoral umpire later announced a schedule of activities for the resumption of the exercise, with collation and announcement of results slated to hold between April 2 and April 5.
Effanga said, “For us in INEC Rivers State, we stayed focused on conducting a transparent, free, fair and credible election.
“As I kept promising, on behalf of my team, we were bound by the provisions of the Constitution, the Electoral Act, other laws and guidelines for the elections.
“We were further bound by the pronouncements and decisions of courts.
“The Present INEC by its conduct, helped to break away from the negative narrative of violence tainted victories or elections and results that have limited input and participation of the voters.
“We can say and confidently too, that many voters in the State had access to polling units and indeed exercised their rights to vote in peace in this election than in previous elections.”
The INEC official added that if the momentum is sustained, Rivers State will no longer be a flashpoint of violence during elections.
