Outstanding Rivers election to hold Saturday

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed Saturday for the conclusion of outstanding 2015 elections in Rivers state.

Aniedi Ikoiwak, the resident electoral commissioner (REC) in the state, disclosed this in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Tuesday.

He said the exercise would hold in Etche and Omuma local government areas.

The election, according to the statement, is to fill the Etche constituency II seat in the house of assembly and Etche/Omuma seat in the house of representatives.

It said the election would hold in 147 polling units in 19 registration areas in Etche and one polling unit (Umuogba Community I) in Omuma.

The commission encouraged eligible voters in the constituencies to come out en masse to vote for their candidates.

”The commission assures the public of a credible and fair conclusion of the election in Etche local government area,” the statement read.

It also said arrangements had been made for adequate security during the exercise.

Following court rulings that invalidated the 2015 federal and state legislative elections in the state, INEC slated March 19, 2016, for rerun poll.

But the exercise was marred by violence, which forced the electoral body to suspend the polls midway.

On December 10, 2016, when the rerun was rescheduled, it was inconclusive in Etche and part of Omuma areas due to some irregularities, prompting the repeat which has been fixed for Saturday.