Chairman of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, Professor Nimi Briggs, has expressed disappointment at the �mild� violence which claimed the life of at least one person in Eleme and wondered why in spite of the efforts his Commission put in, such still occurred.
He assured that he would only announce results of areas where there were no problems of violence, hijacking of election material and real voting. Also, due to late arrival of materials, elections in Bonny Local Government Area have been shifted to today.
This is as two youths were arrested around the Holy Rosary area where they allegedly snatched four ballot boxes which have already been stuffed with papers.
They however explained that the boxes were abandoned by electoral officer and they recovered them.
Apart from reported problems in Tai, Asari Toru, Omuma, Abua and alleged abduction of presiding officer at Rumuji, Emuoha Local Government Area, elections into Local Government areas of the state were peaceful and devoid of the usual gun wielding youths.
However, there were reported cases of late arrival of materials leading to the Action Congress (AC) alleging that materials to the local government area of their leader, Prince Tonye Princewill, not arriving as at 4pm when they complained to reporters about it.
However, Governor Chibuike Amaechi lauded the exercise heralded the beginning of due electoral process in the state shortly after he cast his vote at unit 014, Ward 8 in his Omuigwe home town, Ubima in Ikwerre Local Government Area of the state.
The Governor cast his vote at 11.13am with his wife Judith and expressed hope that as the people have embraced the culture of peace and the need to choose leaders from the ballot box in a free and fair means.
Explaining the cause of the delay in the commencement of the exercise in his ward, he said �there were about six wards, including mine, that they mixed up their materials and they had to go back to Port Harcourt to correct the materials�.
Mar302008