The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has cancelled Ikono/Ini Federal Constituency rerun election in Akwa Ibom state as a result of widespread violence.

Akwa Ibom State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Dr Cyril Omorogbe, who announced the cancellation on Saturday, described the rerun as abysmal.

Omorogbe based the cancellation of the elections in all the 17 polling units that participated in the rerun to incidences of electoral materials and Bi-Modal Voters Accreditation Machine System (BIVAS) snatching.

“Good evening gentlemen, I just want to give a brief update on what has happened today in case of the rerun election.

“The fact that we had about four local government areas where we conducted election and one major one was Ikono/Ini Federal Constituency.

“We were there this morning early enough and about 8:30 am polling units were opened. Couples of hours after we opened the polls, I received a call that BIVAS machines were hijacked.

“So, I knew from then that we were in for a tough time. Two hours after that I received another report that was not good. So, the election in Ikono/Ini federal constituency has been cancelled.

“They were fighting all through the local Government Area in the 17 polling units in the area. I received a report from the Collation Officers that supposed to collate the result in the area that election did not hold.

“The whole exercise of those 17 polling units, they were either hijacked, disrupted, people were being chased and other things of that nature.

“From the Collation Officers in the field who were supposed to collate they all came back and have written reports and the result sheets they supposed to fill are all here. Apparently, there was no election for now.

“On the other constituency of Abak/Etim Ekpo/Ika Federal Constituency, I am still expecting to hear from them, but I believe at this point things went well. Perhaps, in the next couples of hours the result will be declared,” he stated.

The REC regretted that the violence led to the shooting of one corps member on duty, and queried why politicians would be so desperate in a federal constituency election.

“The corps member was shot, he is still in the hospital. We’ve done our best in terms of providing money to make sure he is treated well. I strongly believe he will be okay.

“He was shot on the leg, he has gone through surgery. So far, I do believe he is actually recuperating at this point,” he said. (Daily Trust)