The Rivers State Youth Leaders Assembly (RSYLA) has advised political parties and candidates you are aggrieved over the outcome of the 2019 general elections in Rivers State to approach the Election Petitions Tribunal to seek redress.
The group said it was wrong for political parties and their candidates to drag the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in order to stop the electoral body from carrying out its constitutional responsibilities.
RSYLA, in a position paper presented during the stakeholders meeting organised by INEC in preparation in Port Harcourt, the state capital for the conclusion of the governorship elections in the state.
The paper, which was signed by the group’s President-General, Prince Tonye Jeminimiema; Secretary, Edward Odum and Chairman, Board of Trustees (BOT), Kennedy West, said all litigations against INEC were done in bad faith.
The group said: “We state categorically that INEC cannot be stopped from performing its statutory role. INEC was created by law to conduct free, fair and transparent elections.
“This is their job, so we find it very illogical that some disgruntled elements would have the good conscience to take INEC to court for performing its constitutional role. On the face of the litigations, they seem to be rather frivolous and done in bad faith.”
Read Also:
The youth leaders called on INEC to resume the collation of results of the March 9, 2019 Governorship and House of Assembly elections in the state without further delay, saying that they are aware the results from 17 local government areas in the state, had been collared before the suspension of the exercise.
It said: “The Rivers Youth Leaders Assembly having actively participated in the Rivers State Gubernatorial and House of Assembly elections held on 9th March 2019 is preeminently qualified to brief the good people of the state and the independent
National Electoral Commission on what transpired on that day with a view to charting a way forward. Having assessed what transpired during the elections we make the following recommendations.
“We make bold to say without fear or favour that INEC should continue with the collation process without regarding whose ox is gored. We are aware that according to the statement of the Rivers INEC REC Oboh Effanga, INEC has in its custody the collated results of 17 LGA’s.
“We are also aware that 21 out of 32 House of Assembly seats have been declared in these constituencies by INEC prior to the disruption of the collation process. We urge INEC to without further ado or ceremony conclude the collation process and declare the winners in the gubernatorial and House of Assembly elections.
“We condemn in entirety calls by disgruntled elements to discontinue or stop the collation process displayed in the conduct of the elections so far.”
