A coalition of independent media and non-governmental organisations has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to cancel all the results of the recent re-run legislative elections in Rivers.

In a statement issued by the coalition in Abuja on Tuesday, the coalition alleged that the re-run elections were marred by electoral irregularities.

“We are concerned about the wide spread of violence on a simultaneous sequence in the three senatorial districts which marred the election process.

“It is ugly and we, therefore, condemn the violence that trailed the conduct of the March 19 legislative re-run election in Rivers. The development is capable of truncating the country’s democracy.

“We are calling on the Federal Government to immediately step up security and track those that instigated the violence to ensure free, fair and credible election in the future.

We also demand that offenders should be punished according to the law,’’ the statement said.

The coalition called on President Muhammadu Buhari to declare a state of emergency to reduce the rate of violence in Rivers.

Signed by Amb. Sokari Afiesimama, President, Rescue Nigeria Mandate Mission (RENIM) and Mr Friday Maduka, Coordinator of Rural Empowerment and Peace Advocacy Initiative, the statement expressed concern about the alleged killing of youth corps members, ad hoc staff and intimidation of local and foreign observers by some unscrupulous elements.

“ We witnessed violence, shooting, assaults and snatching of ballot materials.

“We call on INEC to cancel the election on the grounds that the process was marred by heightened electoral irregularities.

“It is clear indication that some political gladiators have made up minds to disorganise the well being of Rivers, we can observe senseless instigation of violence that attracts the declaration of state of emergency,’’ the coalition said.

The coalition urged the appropriate authorities to investigate the alleged shootings and detonation of explosives to disperse electorate by some militants in some areas of the state where elections were held.

“The attack on the governorship candidate for All Progressives Congress, Dr Dakuku Peterside, his deputy, the party chairman, Dr Davis Nkanya and other political killings, should also be investigated,’’ the coalition said.

The coalition comprises some foreign and local observers accredited by INEC to observe the re-run elections.

Coordinated RENIM, a socio-political group, the coalition comprises Rural Empowerment and Peace Advocacy Initiative, Youth Education on Human Right, Arewa Women Consultative Organisation, Restoration for Truth, Rights Initiative, National Association of State Assembly Legislators and Centre for Strategy, Ethics and Value, among others.

Meanwhile, INEC has said that it would not hold any elections in Rivers until peace is restored.

INEC’s Director of Voter Education and Publicity Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi, had also announced recently that INEC would no longer release results due to the irregularities witnessed during the elections.

He said that INEC had earlier cancelled the elections held in eight out of the state’s 23 local government areas.

No fewer than 10 people are said to have died during the elections resulting in trading blame between the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic (PDP) on which was behind the crisis.