INEC cancels federal constituency rerun election in Akwa Ibom

Wide-spread violence has compelled INEC to cancel Saturday’s Ikono/Ini Federal Constituency rerun election in Akwa Ibom.

Resident Electoral Commissioner in Akwa Ibom, Cyril Omorogbe, told newsmen in Uyo that the rerun election in the area was abysmal.

He said the election was cancelled in all the 17 polling units because of the snatching of electoral materials, including Bimodal Voters Accreditation System, BVAS machines.

“The fact is that we had about four local government areas where we conducted election and one major one was Ikono/Ini Federal Constituency.

“We were there early enough and at about 8:30 a.m., polling units were opened. Couple of hours after we opened the polls, I received a call that BVAS machines were snatched.

“Two hours after that I received another report that was not good. So, the election in Ikono/Ini Federal Constituency has been cancelled.

“They were fighting all through the local government area in the 17 polling units. I received a report from Collation Officers in the area that election did not hold.

“In the 17 polling units, materials were either snatched or the process disrupted.

“The Collation Officers have all returned and have written their reports. The result sheets they were supposed to fill are all here in Uyo. Apparently, there was no election,’’ he said.

Mr Omorogbe expressed regret that the violence led to the shooting of one of the corps member on election duty in the leg.

He wondered why politicians would be so desperate in a federal constituency election to the extent of shooting an innocent corps member.

“The corps member was shot; he is still in the hospital,’’ he said.

Mr Omorogbe added that no untoward reports had been received in Abak/Etim Ekpo/Ika Federal Constituency, and that results from there would be declared.

He said INEC would decide the next line of action on Ikono/Ini federal constituency after a meeting in Abuja.

NAN