By Emma Arubi
WARRI – FOLLOWING the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, report that Delta state records the highest incidence of ballot box snatching, INEC accredited independent Observer body, Restore Initiative, Thursday  said the claim is over exaggerated.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Non-governmental organisation, Mrs Gloria Okolugbo stated this in Warri, in a press conference held at the Peemos Place, saying that “Delta state is not the hottest in ballot snatching in all the polls conducted so far in the 2011 elections.

Similarly, Co-ordinator of African Peace Initiative, API, an Observer group, Dr. Emmanuel Opia in its report on the Presidential polls held last Saturday maintained that the elections  was generally peaceful in all the three Senatorial districts of Delta state except a few cases of observed electoral lapses which they have reported to the INEC and adequate corrections have been assured.

Dr. Opia who spoke extensively at the press conference maintained that the result of the presidential polls was a true reflection of what transpired during the election and scored INEC 75% for its performance which he said was a far improvement on the National Assembly polls.

Both speakers revealed that Delta is not as volatile as is being painted by its detractors who, more often than not raised false alarms of ballot snatching and violence at some areas during the polls only for observers to get there and discover the opposite and warned against rumour mongering that is capable of setting the state on fire unnecessarily.

While charging INEC to build on the gains achieved so far to get the best from the gubernatorial/house of assembly polls, the INEC accredited observer groups asked Deltans not to approach the next polls with presumptions that it would be worse, saying that they covered the 25 local government areas of the state as independent observers and made their observations and recommendations that has helped in no small measure to guide to electoral process on the right path to securing true democracy for the country.

“The scenario of politics in Delta state is characterized by blatant falsehood peddling by political parties whose stock in trade is the sponsorship of false alarm and are bent on taking over power at the centre through violence and by engagement of youth gangsters in the perpetration of electoral criminality”, Dr. Emmanuel Opia opined