Rivers LG Poll Yet To Commence, Parties Say Delay Is Ploy To Rig

The Rivers State local government election scheduled for today is yet to Commence due to delay in distribution of electoral materials by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission(RSIEC).

By 9am when THE WHISTLER visited the RSIEC office in Port Harcourt, sorting and distribution of electoral materials was still ongoing. The materials will still have to be moved to the local government areas of the state before accreditation and voting will start.

THE WHISTLER observed that the delay in distribution is already affecting the kick-off of the polls which ought to have commenced by 8am.

Agents of the various political parties are lamenting the delay as it would affect accreditation and voter turnout.

Barinue Kpegi, agent representing Accord Party, who was among concerned political party agents that gathered at the RSIEC office Saturday morning, told THE WHISTLER: “It is clearly obvious this delay in distribution of electoral materials is coming from the ruling party.

“Accreditation was meant to have started by 8am and it’s past 10 am already and distribution is still ongoing.

“What it simply means is that there’s something fishy about the process.Our hands are crossed and we are following up on events.”

The situation means accreditation and voting will start late across the polling units in the LGAs.