NGOs demand redeployment of 2 Rivers electoral staff
Memoye Oghu, Port Harcourt
A coalition of Non -Governmental Organizations in Rivers state want the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmood Yakubu to redeploy the state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr. Obo Effanga and the Administrative Secretary, Elder Etim Umoh, for compromising their positions as unbiased umpires in the suspended governorship and House of Assembly elections in the state.
They not only want the two men replaced with persons of integrity and sound reputation, but that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other agencies should investigate, arrest them and their collaborators.
In a communiqué issued in Port Harcourt, the Rivers state capital on Monday shortly after their meeting, the coalition said that “the Rivers state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Obo Effanga and the Administrative Secretary, Elder Etim Umoh be redeployed with immediate effect to forestall any foul play that will lead to making our dear state a theatre of war.
“We call on the INEC chairman to replace them with people of integrity and sound reputation that can’t be bought over by tyrant Governor Nyesom Wike and his blood sucking thugs; we also call on the EFCC and other agencies to as a matter of urgency investigate and arrest Obo Effanga, Elder Etim Umoh and their partners in crime.”
The NGOs accused the two officials of colluding with the state governor to subvert the will of the people in the suspended governorship and House of Assembly polls in the state.
“That the suspension of the election process was a well-orchestrated move by Gov. Nyesom Wike and his co-conspirators, Obo Effanga and Elder Etim Umoh,” the communiqué stated, alleging that “since the suspension of the collation of results in the state on March 10, Gov. Wike and the Rivers state electoral commissioner have been re-writing and doctoring unit results already collated at the Government House to favour Wike,” they alleged.
They also stated that INEC’s refusal to name the 17 local governments in which they claimed that results have been fully collated and the outstanding six council areas was an act of deceit and treachery and a vindication of their suspicion that all was not well with the current INEC team in the state.
The suspension of the otherwise smooth running electoral process in the state was a flagrant violation of Section 26 of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended, the NGOs stated.
