….says political parties, stakeholders responsible for electoral materials hijack

….exercise programmed to favour Ruling Party – PDP

By Ike Uchechukwu, Calabar

The Cross River State Independent Electoral Commission (CROSIEC) has revealed that it did everything possible for a smooth local government election exercise.

The Commision however absolved itself of any blame especially as it concerns hijack of electoral materials which in no small resulted to voter apathy in the ongoing council elections in the state.

The Chairman of the Commssion , Dr Ekong Boco made the clarification amidst widespread condemnation that emanated folllowing the ongoing poll across the 18 local government areas of Cross River.

Vanguard learned that there were allegations of hijack of electoral materials and absence of results sheets and officials in some parts of the state.

The opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had alleged that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) was involved in various electoral malpractices.

The party’s had alleged the absence of results sheets across the entire five council areas in Cross River North.

In the same vein , the PDP candidate in Obudu had also alleged that the exercise didnt take place in one ward out of 10 in the local government council area.

On his part, Chief Austin Edibe, the PDP Vice chairman for the Northern Senatorial District said the poll was carried out to favour the ruling party from the onset.

His words : This whole exercise was programmed in favour of the APC from the word go but we were willing take the risk with the hope that ther conscience will appeal to them.

“As I speak with you, there is no resume sheets provided for the whole Ogoja, Yala, Obanliku, Obudu and Bekwarra council areas. That is the report am getting from the field.

“Ordinarily, we are supposed to have result sheets at all the collation centers and at the ward level chapters, but unfortunately that is the position of things as we speak,” he stated.

Reacting , chairman of CROSIEC, Dr Ekong Boco said that the Commmsion had done all it could to ensure a smooth exercise

“All the voting materials left the Commission’s office Friday and we had everything programmed to commence early on Saturday but the parties agents delayed the process because of mutual suspicions.

“We cannot be in the 18LGAs at thesabe time , we have EOs, POs abdcothers in the field, so we played our role in ensuring that the materials and personnel moved to their various LGAs, Collation centes, Polling Units by making sure logistics were made available, ” he said.