The Resident Electoral
Commissioner (REC) in Imo, Prof. Francis Ezeonu on Tuesday expressed regrets at
the challenges and irregularities witnessed at the Feb. 23 Presidential and
National Assembly elections in Imo.
NAN reports that Ezeonu made his
view known at the Imo INEC Interactive meeting with Stakeholders in Owerri.
He noted that the meeting
afforded the commission an opportunity to X-Ray what happened during the Feb.
23 election in the state.
The REC explained that there were
a few hitches which impeded the early deployment of materials on the election
day.
“There were deliberate efforts to
frustrate the use of Registration Area Centres (RACs) and in some places, our
water tanks were carted away soon after delivery and wires used in reticulation
of the centres were removed and taken away.
“In a few places, the community
members disrupted activities at the RAC centres.
“Out in the field, there were too
much turmoil, we battled with thugs for INEC materials, corps members were
hijacked and returning officers harassed and intimidated and in a few places
forced to declare results that were obviously concocted under duress.
“Some other staff were obviously
compromised. The maxim was either to play along or be battered.
“Our materials were destroyed and
our office at Isiala Mbano burnt down by irate mob. At Isiala Mbano alone where
the office was burnt, we lost 204 Smart Card Readers and over 600 ballot boxes
among others.
“In Ohaji-Egbema we lost more
than 30 Smart Card Readers. Our ballot boxes and other electoral materials were
destroyed with impunity. This obviously is not our idea of an election.
“I regret that the election did
not turn out as good as we planned,” the REC said.
Ezeonu explained that the most
painful was that highly respected members of the society, who were supposed to
demonstrate leadership allowed emotion and muscle to displace reason.
“For me, it is not a palatable
experience. I had earlier warned that in this journey each one of us had a role
to play.
“As the Resident Electoral
Commissioner, I take responsibility for all the shortcomings during the last
election and I pledge to make amends. However, there are issues for which I
cannot be held liable,” he said.
The REC said that there was the
need for Nigerians to create an amiable environment for the ad hoc staff to do
their work urging those who claimed to be honourable, distinguished and Excellencies
to exhibit honourable conduct.
“The experiences of the last
election have sent shock waves; so much so that some ad hoc staff have given
notices that they would not wish to participate in the next election.
“Even corps members are threatening
to withdraw.
“The way things are going, we may
come to a stage where no person will be willing to officiate during elections.
The situation is that bad, but we can all work together to change it,” he said.
He however, declared that
strategies would be employed to ensure the experiences of last election did not
repeat.
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INEC should be able to hear people complains now, STATE IS NOT FEDERAL to distribute materials is not the problem but what follows later is we are talking about.... Not that people will make time to vote a person of their choice and u will declare failure winner
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