INEC reverses self, shifts Rivers rerun elections to 19 March

Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has shifted the Rivers State National and State Assemblies rerun elections from Saturday, 6 February to Saturday, 19 March, 2016.

The new date was announced in a statement signed by the INEC Public Relations Officer in Rivers State Tonia Nwoye.

The statement said the decision was taken after a meeting with stakeholders at INEC headquarters in Abuja.

Following the earlier date, Governor Nyesom Wike had declared Friday, 5 February as public holiday and every January 27 as public holidays to commemorate his victory at the Supreme Court.

At press time it was not clear if the Governor will reverse the Friday, 5 February public holiday he had declared Tuesday when he addressed the civil servants at the state secretariat.