The Independent National Electoral Commission has admitted that soldiers and armed gangs were used to intimidate and unlawfully arrest its staff during the recent governorship election held on March 9, 2019, in Rivers state.
The commission also expressed its displeasure with the role played by soldiers and armed gangs in Rivers State who disrupted the collation process and attempted to subvert the will of the people.
A statement issued and signed by INEC National Commissioner and chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, said the commission would engage the security agencies at the national level and the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee at the State level to demand neutrality and professionalism of security personnel in order to secure a peaceful environment for the completion of the elections.
