FREEPRESS – The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in Akwa Ibom State has scheduled March 12, 2016 for the rerun of the nullified elections in five state constituencies and one Senatorial District (Akwa Ibom North-East) of the state even as the All Progressives Congress, APC, has expressed lack of confidence in the commission.
The new Akwa Ibom State Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, Dr. Gabriel Ada, who announced the date of the rescheduled elections in his maiden meeting with leaders of the various political parties in the state, said that elections would hold in Etinan, Ibesikpo-Asutan, Ikot-Ekpene/Obot Akara, Oron/Udung Uko state constituencies including 24 polling units in Itu Local Government Area spread across nine registration areas/wards.
For the Akwa Ibom North senatorial district, the REC said that in Etinan Local Government, election will hold in three polling units in Southern Iman Ward-08 while in Ibesikpo-Asutan, the entire Ward-02 will be affected. Others are Ibiono Ibom Local Government, 21 units and five Wards, Ibiono Ward-02, Ibiono Ward-04, Ibiono Ward-07, Ibiono Ward-09 and Ibiono Ward-10, just as elections will hold in Nsit Atai Local Government Area in the entire Ward-05 and Ward-09 as well as five units in Eastern Nsit-01 and in Uruan Local Government Area where elections will hold in the entire Uruan 111. In Uyo Local Government Area, Dr. Ada informed that election would hold in the entire Ward-09 as well as three units in Ward-03.
He assured that INEC in the state would look into the complaints levelled against the commission and so, encouraged all the political parties to make good the allegation by reporting any INEC staff found to have compromised his or her status during the rerun elections for disciplinary action.