INEC, police responsible for electoral fraud – Wike

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has accused both the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Nigeria Police of being responsible for electoral fraud in the country.
Wike, who made the accusation when INEC new Rivers State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr Obo Effanga, paid him courtesy visit in Port Harcourt, stated that elections will be credible and peaceful if the two agencies play by the electoral rules.
Therefore, he urged the INEC to conduct credible polls in 2019 and avoid the usual conflicts that do arise when INEC fails to do the right thing but bows to pressure from politicians and the ruling party.
“If you resist it and conduct free and fair elections, every elected officer will have no choice but to perform. If the person does not perform, the person knows that re-election will be difficult.
“You should use this opportunity to avert electoral crisis in Rivers State by conducting credible elections. We are heightening projects delivery because we want to build the confidence of the people that their mandate is not taken for granted. If we are relying on INEC, we will not work for the people”.
“Those who are doing nothing, but who believe they are in power and they must rig elections, are those that will bring pressure to you. Resist that pressure and conduct credible polls “, he told the Rivers Resident Electoral Commissioner.
He assured the Resident Commissioner that the PDP in Rivers State will not bring any pressure on INEC because of the high performance of his administration.
He charged the Resident Electoral Commissioner to resist any attempt by leaders of the APC Federal Government to prevail on him to rig the elections on their behalf.
Governor Wike lambasted the immediate past Rivers INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr. Aniedi Ikiowak, alleging that he was used by the APC federal government to steal the people’s mandate and print fake electoral materials.
Further, he accused the INEC of refusing to place sanctions on Akin Fakorede, despite indicting him for electoral fraud.
Meanwhile, Mr Effanga assured that the commission will conduct credible polls in the state.
“We are 248 days to the 2019. INEC is committed to credible polls. But credible elections depend on so many fact factors including the stakeholders. We expect the stakeholders to play by the rules “, he said.
The Rivers State INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner said that the state has more than three million registered voters, while 2.172, 467 voters have collected their permanent voters’ cards.