A record of 56 gubernatorial candidates from different political parties are jostling for the job of Governor Nyesom Wike.
Governor Nyesom Wike
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says 56 political parties out of the 91 registered parties in the country are set to participate in the 2019 general elections in Rivers State.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr Obo Effanga, said this during a media briefing on Friday in Port Harcourt.
The number of parties fielding candidates to unseat Governor Nyesom Wike, contrasts with the 76 that are gunning for the presidency of the country.
He said that INEC was interested in all the 91 registered political parties, adding that the commission would only deal with political parties that registered for the election in 2019.
The REC assured Rivers people that the commission was ready to ensure free, fair and credible elections in 2019, stressing that “we assure you that on the day of the elections, every material needed for the elections would be ready to ensure free, fair and credible process.”
Effanga noted that the Card Readers would be used for the 2019 general elections.
He pointed out that any voter who was not accredited by the Card Reader would not cast his or her vote. He explained that provisions would be made if the Card Reader developed any hitch in the process.
He, therefore, called on community leaders to advise their youths against disrupting the elections, emphasising that any community that could not advise its youths to be of good conduct, INEC would not conduct elections there.
The REC urged stakeholders to play their part properly, saying that security agencies, the political class, among others, should ensure that the 2019 general elections were successful.
He stressed that any politician who would have objections of any kind concerning the 2019 general elections should go to court to seek redress.
He called on the electorate to pick up their Permanent Voter Cards at their areas of registration to enable them to exercise their franchise on the day of the election.