The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has cancelled results of the rerun elections held in Etche and Asaritoru Local Government Areas of Rivers State.

Resident Electoral Commissioner, Aniedi Ikoiwak, who announced the cancellation, cited series of irregularities at the affected Local Government Areas, as the reason for the decision.

Ikoiwak stated that- violence, snatching of ballot boxes, noncompliance to electoral law- were a few of the factors which contributed to the cancellation of the results in Etche and Asaritoru.

INEC had on Saturday, suspended elections in 6 LGAs- Eleme, Khana, Gokana, Andoni, Bonny and Tai.

Speaking to journalists in Port Harcourt, Ikoiwak had said the commission was forced to suspend elections in the affected areas because politicians and their stooges prevented INEC officials from distributing election materials and also because of violence in the areas.

“Actually, we had deployed, as we told Nigerians, from Thursday and I did mention it clearly that if by act of commission or omission, we are not allowed to occupy the Registration Area Centres (RACs), we cannot actually guarantee that we can deliver 100 per cent.”

“Today, we have had the experience where most of our materials were not even allowed to move in; some were returned on the way. Even when we tried to deploy to the RACs in some of the places this morning, certain people with excuses also tried to prevent us from doing so.”

“There were accusations of not believing in the materials we brought and so on and so forth. There were issues of violence; there were issues of insecurity of lives. After all, we let the people know, but at the end of the day, we were still prevented from moving out. From 12 noon to 1pm, we did not see that it was necessary for us to continue to press to go to the field.”

“Even some of our people who were able to get to the field, they were turned back with sporadic shootings. So, it was better for the life of the personnel to be preserved than trying to conduct the election, even when the environment is not conducive.”

“So we need to let everybody be aware that election is suspended in Andoni, Khana, Gokana, Bonny, Tai and Eleme LGAs. The commission is watching developments in other local government areas and we will brief the press accordingly.”