The Independent National Electoral Commission INEC has assured residents in Rivers State that the commission will conduct free, fair and credible elections come 2019.
The INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in Rivers State Obo Effanga gave this assurance when the Reformed Traders Association Rivers State Chapter paid him a courtesy visit in his office in Port Harcourt.
Obo Effanga said the commission under his watch is committed to conducting free and fair elections in Rivers State.
He stated that the activities of some political leaders in the state is threatening efforts by INEC to conduct credible polls in the country.
The INEC REC noted that the commission will be fair to all participants in the election and promised that they will not be influenced by any government, individuals or agencies.
”It’s unfortunate that while INEC is doing all it can to improve on the electoral process to conduct credible elections, there are some political interest who are used to doing things the wrong way and getting away with it and thinking that they can continue doing that but unfortunately for them, INEC will allow that to happen” he said.
”Our interest is to conduct the election in such a way that everybody who wants to vote is given a free hand to vote in peace and all those who want to contest election are also given an even playing field to contest”.
”So at the end of the day, it is the people who determined who gets elected and who gets declared as the winner and gets into office. So if we have this at the back of our mind everybody will do the right thing” he stated.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner in Rivers State Obo Effanga also advised politicians and political parties to play by the rules.
He said INEC will come down hard on defaulters who did not abide by the electoral acts.
Effanga noted that Nigerians should read and understand the guidelines in the electoral act so that when the commission punishes offenders, they will not see it as being bias.
Earlier, the President General of the Reformed Traders Association Rivers State chapter Ambassador Edy Bright said the aim of their visit is to partner INEC in the area of creating awareness for a peaceful poll in the state.
Edy Bright said the association wants the commission to conduct free and fair elections in Rivers State in 2019.
He also advised political gladiators to play by the rules of the electoral act during and after the 2019 general election.
Bright added that the traders will not be part of or support any violence movement during the election.
