Voters Ready For April Polls

The INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in Rivers, Mr. Aniedi Ikoiwak, said in Port Harcourt on Sunday that there would be no voter apathy during the April elections.

There are 4,442 units and 319 wards in Rivers.

The commission is expected to use more than 14,000 personnel, comprising staffers and ad-hoc staffers to conduct the elections in the state.

He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourt that Nigerians had sacrificed a lot and could not afford to stay away from the elections.

He noted that during the registration some Nigerians woke up as early as 4 a.m. to queue and register as they were eager to participate in the elections.

“ I do not think there will be voter apathy. We did not  experience that during the registration exercise, I remember there were Nigerians who spent a whole night waiting to be registered.

“Some of them went out to the registration centres by 4 a.m. in the morning, some by 3 a.m. in the morning. Nobody compelled them. They wanted to register because of this election.

“They wanted to register because they wanted to vote. So, somebody cannot sacrifice that, then on the day of utilising the product of that sacrifice, he now decides to stay out, it will not happen

“I think Nigerians are waiting for this election and they want to participate,” he said

Ikoiwak said electoral officials who compromised on election days would be punished.

He said all INEC staffers had been warned not to commit any offence because of the consequences of such illegal acts.

“ What we are saying is that there are rules and there are procedures put up that anybody who is involved will surely be picked up, anybody who is involved will surely be punished.

“So, there is a clear outline of punishment that awaits any officials who will be compromised,” he said.

The commissioner said INEC officials had done an in-house job and resolved to conduct credible elections that would be acceptable to Nigerians and the international community.