Senate gives INEC 5-week ultimatum to conduct Rivers rerun

The senate has resolved to suspend its sittings if the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) does not conduct national assembly rerun election in Rivers state by December 10.

In a motion on the floor of the upper legislative chamber on Wednesday, Ike Ekweremadu, deputy senate president,‎ urged the senate to suspend its sittings if INEC did not conduct the election by the stipulated time.

‎”INEC has failed and refused to conduct rerun elections into the senate and house of representatives in the Rivers state,” he said.

“This motion is out of a need for every state to be part of the government.

“I, therefore, urge the senate to ask INEC to conduct the elections by December 10, failure of which the senate will suspend plenary pending the time the elections are conducted.‎”

Also speaking, Ali‎ Ndume, senate leader, criticised the electoral body for what he described as “inconclusive elections after inconclusive elections”.

He emphasised that the election must be conducted‎ in Rivers because of the primacy of the state.

“You can imagine we are about to discuss PIB, and there are no members from Rivers state,” he said.

“We have a new leadership at INEC now‎, but we know the history. Inconclusive elections after inconclusive elections and suspension. So we ask that elections should take place in Rivers state.”

The senate, thereafter, resolved to suspend its sittings if the election was not held by December 10 as stated by INEC.