Oboh Effang, the Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in Rivers State, on Thursday, said the suspension of the August 18 bye-election into Port Harcourt Constituency III shocked many stakeholders who had anticipated profiting from the violence which led to the suspension of the exercise.
Recall that the commission suspended the Bye-election after the process was marred by wide-scale violence, including shooting and ballot box snatching.
Oboh Effanga, who made the observation in Port Harcourt also affirmed that the suspension remained valid until the commission in Rivers gets directive from the national office to re-conduct the exercise.
Effanga said, “The decision we made took many people by surprise because they were used to seeing violence and at the end of elections and winners declared.’’
On the indefinite posture of the commission against growing calls for the conclusion of the exercise, he said the decision to continue the process would come from the head office.
’’seeing violence and at the end of elections, results announced and winners declared,’’ he added.
