Rivers State Governor, Nyesom
Ezenwo Wike said Nigerians should commend the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) for conducting the 2023 general election with reduced
violence and death experienced across the country.
Governor Wike recalled how
previous elections under INEC have been characterized by violence, with
avoidable deaths amidst the desperation of politicians to have their way, made
possible because of the mode of voting that was previously adopted.
Governor Wike made the
observation at the swearing-in of chairmen and members of Rivers State Primary
Healthcare Management Board, and Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC)
at Government House in Port Harcourt on Sunday.
The governor noted that even if
the Bi-Modal Voters Accreditation Machine System (BIVAS) used by INEC in the
2023 general election did not perform optimally, so much success was achieved
because its use alone frustrated antics of security agencies who induce
violence.
The Rivers State Independent
Electoral Commission, RSIEC, has Hon. Justice Adolphus Enebeli, (rtd) as the
chairman, with Prof Emenike Weli, Barr Adolphus. A. Brown, Dr Lasbury Nnah,
Pastor Tamunotonye Tobins, Barr (Mrs) Chinwe Ihua-Maduenyi and Mrs Nuka Kponi
as members.
For the Rivers State Primary
Healthcare Management Board has Prof. Blessing Jaja as the chairman, Dr
Kinikanwo Green as the Executive Director and Dr Clarabell Abam, Dr (Mrs)
Gladys Horsefall-Okafor, Madam Gladys Ihunda and Dr Famba O. Famba as members.
Governor Wike said no election is
perfect, but it is always better that the subsequent ones are seen to be an
improvement on the previous one, to make people believe in the process.
“That is why I tell people that
if for nothing, Nigerians should commend INEC that they reduced the level of
violence, the level of death because without this BIVAS, before we were
fighting with security agencies, they were carrying electoral materials, hijack
electoral officials, but now it is difficult.
“So, no matter the inadequacies,
you’ll see that there was an improvement in terms of reduction of violence
which is key, because in our electoral process it has always been killing,
hijacking of materials, and using of security wrongly.”
Governor Wike stressed that
Nigerians have accepted the outcome of the election and what INEC was able to
deliver, and have moved on.
The governor said the disturbing
trend with Nigerian system is that when people are apprehended and are guilty
of the electoral offence, they appeared not to be sanctioned, or punished in
order to serve as a deterrent to others.
He however, expressed the hope
that the federal government will increase the capacity of INEC to do better in
the next election.
To RSIEC, Governor Wike charged
the chairman and his members to use their wealth of experience to ensure a
successful transition when the local government election date is fixed next
year.
He urged them to work as a team
to achieve their given mandate, given the ample time that they have to prepare
for the election.
To the members of the Rivers
State Primary Healthcare Management Board, governor Wike, who noted that the
previous board did very well, charged them to build on that success record.
Governor Wike urged them to bring
their professional expertise to bear by improving on the system, serve the best
interest of the State with greater commitment.
The governor said having been
appointed to serve a four year tenure, so much is expected of them and they can
only achieve more if they do not focus on making money alone, but work as a
team in improving the healthcare delivery mechanism in the State.
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